Mechanically, the game builds on the first game's foundations while borrowing some notes from Hollow Knight in some aspects (melee combat, a charm system, better map management) and for the most part I appreciated those additions (no shame in taking inspiration from a better game), but they did feel a bit grafted on. The platforming has moments of satisfying fluidity and speed, but also some clunky and a bit underdeveloped areas that don't let the movement system shine enough.
The problems creep in around the edges. Combat is chronically lacking in game-feel and depth and even the platforming, for all its highs, has patches of stiffness that break the flow. The story doesn't help: a retread of the first game's emotional beats, fairly standard mid-game McGuffin hunt, characters that never quite clicked for me, and a finale that works well enough but didn't hit with the same emotional force as the first game. If anything, the resolution of the final boss's arc errs too far toward the tragic and cynical, in a way that felt slightly at odds with the spirit of the rest of the finale.
That said, the aesthetic alone makes this worth playing, majestic and almost disorienting in the sheer density of detail packed into every single area. As a visual experience, it's hard to fault.
This is definitely is a good game (and a great-looking one at that) but it never fully delivers on the promise of its spectacle IMHO. If the first Ori moved you, this one will impress you. Just don't expect it to do the same thing twice.
