About the death sequence:
Evil Twin: Cyprien's Chronicles could be an inspiration. Unfortunately I didn't find the death sequence itself, but the walk of the hero in the beginning of the following video is sort of what the animation in this sequence is: A slap to get the dust off the trousers, and then the walk with slowly weighty steps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njWXshgRkQk

Another game, the style of your levels reminded me to it:
the ugly prince duckling
http://www.adventurespiele.net/module-pnvideos-view-vid-432.htm
Maybe, it give additional overall inspirations

http://www.puppenheim.org/
http://www.wuerfels-welt.de
Old Game Tutorial: http://www.puppenheim.org/MITutorial.zip
Free Game Editor: http://puppenheim.org/AlienalsWeihnachtsmann.zip
http://www.puppenheim.org/blender_starting_main_settings.txt