(edited from original to be more elaborate)
overall, game is really cool, I really like a lot of the ways things are adapted into 2d, however, I think the way the difficulty is implemented can be needlessly frustrating at times
I love hard bosses, however imo the lives system makes all of these bosses less enjoyable than they could be, i'm aware the other games and even mania have lives systems, but I think that this is significantly harder than those, and many bosses which could be a fun test of the players skill, become stressful and less enjoyable, I think having a no lives mode would heavily improve the game, and although there were several moments that while in concept and even gameplay are cool as hell, all of this being combined how it is left a sour taste in my mouth
the worst offender of this in my opinion, is panic puppet act 1, I haven't finished it, I tried for 2 hours
the issue here is that this level is LONG, and although the level itself is maybe one of my favorite adaptations from 3d blast to 2d (followed by the gene gadget boss)
but on repeat playthroughs, this level takes seven minutes
I think combining this with a double boss fight, in a gameplay style that is only really used once in the genesis games and just isn't used before hand, while both bosses are full length fights with completely diff move sets, AND the inability to pick up rings when hit again
it's just too much at once, and the fact that all of this is ACT 1, means that if you screw up act 2, you have to do it again
I'm aware these systems are in place in other classic games, but this really does not feel designed around it, and I think it causes this game to be far more frustrating than fun, I don't WANT to learn and improve on a boss when I get maybe 4 tries max, and have to play through a gigantic level beforehand