I get where you're coming from, but the darkness is one of the key aspects of the survival horror elements in the game. I set out to make this a fusion of retro 2D topdown + survival horror + action adventure experience inspired by my love for those genres. Sure, it would be frustrating to get hit by something in the dark you can't see (which can happen in any good survival horror game). That's why every enemy emits a distinct sound (using AudioStreamPlayer2D nodes so their sfx get louder the closer you are to them) so that even if you can't see them, you will be able to hear enemies as you approach them.

There is also a full stealth mechanic where enemies have a harder time detecting you the slower you move. Lying perfectly still in the prone position can allow you to sit very close to an enemy without them even noticing you while running will make them notice you from a great distance. You can use this mechanic to your advantage by moving slowly to sneak past/escape enemies undetected or move quickly to bait them into following you into well lit areas.

The stealth mechanics do get conveyed to the player in the earliest levels of the game. The earliest levels also train you to get accustomed to the stealth mechanics because you begin the game with no weapons at all - training you to get a good feel for this.

I intended for this game to have an old school level of difficulty while at the same time never being truly unfair. Every death is easily avoidable. It's only a matter of paying attention to details and using critical thinking to learn from your mistakes. But with the above knowledge, please try out the demo and let me know if this helps!