Someone who's played this, I'm concerned that you have to start from the beginning each time. I get that you can improve your skills and equipment, but can you unlock shortcuts? How long would it take - maxed out - to go from the start to the end? I'm not worried about short progress runs, but whether I'd have the time for a run to the end.
I think my last successful run took an hour? It took me 22 hours of playing to complete a run though. It's hard.
It's not a huge spoiler to say that, when you finish it, you simply unlock a modifier that makes it tougher. You can do this 4 consecutive times.
As for shortcuts, the typical metroidvania movement upgrades are there, but the way the game uses them is different. They let you take alternate routes, so you can modify your approach through the run - fast and risky, slow and steady. Learning which branches to take is part of your strategy to win.
Aspects of this may change post-release, I doubt it will remain static.
I'm not at end game yet, but the restart is very well handled. The perm Upgrades and how end of level bosses work is cool.
I think it's basically designed so once you get the gist and have a rotation of stuff unlocked, early levels are to be speed runs once you're happy with gear.
The game basically encourages speed running as the bonuses you get from opening timed doors are huge. Couple that with the movement and the portals, it's meant to be played at breakneck speed. Doesn't mean you have to though. I have a video of me beating the current last boss, the only time I did it. Took me 2 minutes, ha!
Would I like this? Not that anyone can really say, but there's no point in asking anyone else. The only roguelike I've enjoyed is Rogue Legacy, and that only got two evenings of play. I installed Spelunky on Vita last week for another attempt, but nope. Part of me is tempted to pre-order this for the discount as I'll presumably be done with Hollow Knight by launch, but part of me is tempted to just wait for The Messenger. Surely I'll click with one of these things at some point. The screen to screen gameplay looks superb.
Speed run and lots of cells to there, but hadn't gotten through any attempts previously so was going slow. 100+ cells, no health refils left. Got there.