Thank you so much, I'm really glad you found so much to say about this! :)
I am sorry that the jellyfish level stopped your progress, that's definitely the high point in difficulty. (It's funny you mentioned Dig Dug, I used that as inspiration for a jam last year, where I first came up with pemmings, but that one lacks a story.) I should have kept in mind that a game jam isn't the place for punishing difficulty, it's a good lesson for me to learn.
It's great to hear that the characters won you over, I know my art isn't amazing. :D And what's beyond the jelly fish stage is like a whole new game, where the points come into play.