Solid but not quite on par with its predecessor (which is a lot to expect given it was a masterpiece).

The narrative just isn't able to match the original (despite clear efforts).
It lacks a powerful sense of wonder and mystery this time around. There is a mystery to be solved here too, but it just feels off...probably because of NPCs who can't shut up and let you explore on your own, always telling you what you (as a team) are up to next, how to feel, what to think.... The fact that there was nobody to "talk" to in TP1 was probably it's strength.

At it's core this one is more mechanically complex. Each zone introduces a new mechanic, but sadly...it doesn't ...lead to anything?
New toys you get to play with seem kind of disconnected from one another, they're used in their respective zones..then barely reappear.
Which prevents the levels from ever reaching the difficulty that i'd desire.

You do catch a glimpse of how difficult the game could be in the "secret" levels. Hmm..idk maybe we'll see them mix the mechanics in a dlc or something, similar to Road To Gehenna..so i won't dwell on this much.

The biggest disappointment by far would be the star puzzles. The original had unique "secret star" puzzles tailored to each zone, but here, they're split into a few mind numbingly boring and repetitive categories, lacking the depth of the original.

Also, gone are the Serious Sam and other random easter eggs which are a staple of Croteams design in their other titles. Finding those felt like a puzzle in and of itself. There were dozens of them in TP1.

On paper, it is more mechanically complex with a larger story, but it just doesn't hit the heights set by TP1. It is weighed down by lack of wonder/mystery, easy levels, weak star puzzles and easter eggs which were cooler than anything else in the previous title. Play the original instead..can't really downvote this but...a meh option would be great..

P.S
The ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ upscaling....You can't turn it off, and it leads to weird, blurry effects in most levels, especially in forest settings.

Solid but not quite on par with its predecessor (which is a lot to expect given it was a masterpiece). The narrative just isn't able to match the original (despite clear efforts). It lacks a powerful sense of wonder and mystery this time around. There is a mystery to be solved here too, but it just feels off...probably because of NPCs who can't shut up and let you explore on your own, always telling you what you (as a team) are up to next, how to feel, what to think.... The fact that there was nobody to "talk" to in TP1 was probably it's strength. At it's core this one is more mechanically complex. Each zone introduces a new mechanic, but sadly...it doesn't ...lead to anything? New toys you get to play with seem kind of disconnected from one another, they're used in their respective zones..then barely reappear. Which prevents the levels from ever reaching the difficulty that i'd desire. You do catch a glimpse of how difficult the game could be in the "secret" levels. Hmm..idk maybe we'll see them mix the mechanics in a dlc or something, similar to Road To Gehenna..so i won't dwell on this much. The biggest disappointment by far would be the star puzzles. The original had unique "secret star" puzzles tailored to each zone, but here, they're split into a few mind numbingly boring and repetitive categories, lacking the depth of the original. Also, gone are the Serious Sam and other random easter eggs which are a staple of Croteams design in their other titles. Finding those felt like a puzzle in and of itself. There were dozens of them in TP1. On paper, it is more mechanically complex with a larger story, but it just doesn't hit the heights set by TP1. It is weighed down by lack of wonder/mystery, easy levels, weak star puzzles and easter eggs which were cooler than anything else in the previous title. Play the original instead..can't really downvote this but...a meh option would be great.. P.S The god damn upscaling....You can't turn it off, and it leads to weird, blurry effects in most levels, especially in forest settings.