This is a really mediocre platformer. Instead of attempting to fix some of the archaic elements of its predecessors and usher platforming games into a new era, it doubled down and made them worse:
1. The worlds are massive and have very few distinguishable landmarks, so it's very likely the player gets lost or spends a lot of time wandering aimlessly trying to find something to do, and they have the gall to offer a way to make them even bigger.
2. Because the worlds are so big there's not enough collectables and objectives to fill out the world without bloating the count, making the levels often feel barren and empty. They're also sometimes hidden in very remote locations that are difficult to find, especially when it comes down to finding the last few.
3. Progression is regularly blocked with annoying quiz games, because Banjo-Kazooie had them. However in Banjo you don't encounter the quiz until the end, and it's in the style of a board game so it's more interesting to play and doesn't block progression until you are almost done with the game.
Among other issues I had: the minecart levels feel horrible to play, but they have to be there because Rare made Donkey Kong Country. The arcade games are bad, the writing isn't even funny, the character designs aren't very good aside from one or two exceptions. The stamina meter is annoying, the hub world is confusing to navigate. The music is also very forgettable. A soundtrack from Grant Kirkhope and David Wise should not be this bland, how did that even happen?
I do think the controls feel nice and some of the platforming challenges were pretty fun, but this game has no identity and some of the worst elements of its predecessors exacerbated.
1. The worlds are massive and have very few distinguishable landmarks, so it's very likely the player gets lost or spends a lot of time wandering aimlessly trying to find something to do, and they have the gall to offer a way to make them even bigger.
2. Because the worlds are so big there's not enough collectables and objectives to fill out the world without bloating the count, making the levels often feel barren and empty. They're also sometimes hidden in very remote locations that are difficult to find, especially when it comes down to finding the last few.
3. Progression is regularly blocked with annoying quiz games, because Banjo-Kazooie had them. However in Banjo you don't encounter the quiz until the end, and it's in the style of a board game so it's more interesting to play and doesn't block progression until you are almost done with the game.
Among other issues I had: the minecart levels feel horrible to play, but they have to be there because Rare made Donkey Kong Country. The arcade games are bad, the writing isn't even funny, the character designs aren't very good aside from one or two exceptions. The stamina meter is annoying, the hub world is confusing to navigate. The music is also very forgettable. A soundtrack from Grant Kirkhope and David Wise should not be this bland, how did that even happen?
I do think the controls feel nice and some of the platforming challenges were pretty fun, but this game has no identity and some of the worst elements of its predecessors exacerbated.