Some tips for starting out: Luck and Drop Rate are WAY more important in this game than in others. You will get virtually nothing from your battles until you start putting into luck (get about 3% critical hit). Then when you start getting money and items, focus on Drop Rate from items until you get +15 to 20 total. Then you'll be getting lots and lots of gold and items. You'll actually be wealthy enough to heal yourself... Also focus your skills on weapon proficiencies. Try to purchase +2 equipment from Gran. Be aware that opening a menu will not stop monsters from attacking you.
You're able to complete the level with the man with Black Hat (try to tell me you don't think xkcd when you see him) dying as long as one of his past selves / shadows lives to touch the door. For the final level it is very likely that your current self will die when you complete it, unless you have extraordinary timing. I don't know what this means for the story.
I like the game mechanic, and I'd love to see it fleshed out into a more substantial game even if it comes at the cost of elegance.
I can see why this received an award. I found it interesting how it avoided giving linguistic instructions, and I'm curious if that was something they were taught or assigned (It says "Best Student Game"). It reminds me a lot of Echocrome in its style. Definitely worth playing.
I don't think it's that bad it just makes me feel like, you know, a horse chasing a carrot. Also nobody likes when a game can just randomly decide to teleport a large blob atop you and you lose everything you made in the last 5 minutes.
I think it's worthwhile, I played through the whole game (took me about 70 minutes) and I really enjoyed it, but I have a few suggestions:
1) Need better controls specifically for climbing. A toggle key (rather than having to hold it) would help, and also as it is you can't jump off a wall, rather you have to jump up and then immediately go to the side in mid-air (this is excruciating around the time you get the wire). The lack of momentum is a little unnerving, but that's a personal preference.
2) Anything to aid with navigation. Minimap, teleports, whatever. The game basically drops us in the middle of nowhere and says "run back and forth for an hour until you get everything."
3) Tell us you save the game automatically, and please don't destroy the save upon winning.
 "Arcuz (Full Version)"){kind=icon}
 "The Company of Myself"){kind=icon}
 "Continuity"){kind=icon}
 "Upgrade Complete 2"){kind=icon}
 "Downgrade Complete"){kind=icon}
 "Boundaries Of Truth"){kind=icon}