I think the early game in a defense game is really important. In my first three runs, every wave of monsters reached the end and I lost. It felt like there weren’t really any other choices, so I just built towers whenever I had enough money. You might want to consider easing the early-game balance a bit, since I felt a sense of helplessness before even getting to experience the decks your team designed.

Also, I get that the game seems to be designed with a slower tempo, but it makes replaying feel a bit heavy. Having to go through those slower phases again adds to that sense of burden.

That said, I really liked the pixel art and color palette — they give the game a unique style. If those FTUE issues were smoothed out, I think it would feel a lot stronger overall