it will be better if you can add level system.
i mean through battle your heroes can gain experience,and experience can improve your heroes' level,and through improve level also can improve your heroes' strength.
and you can add a skill system too,such as if your heroes' always use spear to pike enemies in battle,then they can improve their spear skills,and through the improvement of skills, they can able to do extra damage in the battle.
this maybe symbolize the cruel reality and the life path.
people are very good at self-cheating and self-avoiding,and self-forgetting,therefore they can keep survivaling,or survivaling good.
but when they immersed into themselves,they will find the cruel parts which they've always been trying to avoiding,forgetting,and self-cheating.
i think maybe in the game,every elements(such as collect the lights,and even the style of gameplay,the design of the game,and even these jumps) do symbolizing some things.
i am longing for see the sequel of the game.hope you can do not change your style and your Weltanschauung in the game.