I played the Japanese version, and that seemed to remedy the strict time limit. On top of that, the input for a space-making roundhouse kick was changed to something simpler.

I really like the gimmick of having to find the boss room through a maze-like set of rooms. But I never really felt compelled to explore due to the time limit. If you finish a stage fast enough, you can even get additional lives.

Otherwise, it's not amazing. The visuals and atmosphere are fantastically grim, but it's ultimately a bog-standard brawler that doesn't have much else going for it. The upside is that there are multiple endings for your performance, and most bosses are difficult, but fair enough as to not be frustrating. You could do worse.