Cool idea and great art and music, but the game does get quite repetitive with always having to go from one end of the map to the other and then take (usually) the same route back. The first trek through each level is especially annoying because there's no actual danger until the guardian starts chasing you. I know that you're probably meant to be weighing whether or not you should take the collectibles scattered in the level during that first part, but I think it would be a lot more effective if the player is forced to take a completely different path back to the exit, that way there's an element of uncertainty that heightens the risk and it stops the player from feeling like they're just backtracking.
Also I have to say, even when I was carrying a lot of stuff I was able to outrun the guardian with ease. Maybe you could include a stamina bar to stop the player from just sprinting the whole time?
Besides that the game looks great and I think it could be really fun if there was just less monotony to it.