As is the common tale with this series; Audiences didn't vibe with the more complex original game, so Sega responds by dumbing it down in an attempt to cast a wider net. Only to find an even smaller audience as the people who appreciated the complexity of the first game are let down, and generally wider audiences weren't gonna care anyway.

To be totally fair it's been long enough to warrant I give this game another go. My exact thoughts likely won't change but my score may differ upon revisit depending on how much fun I find it. But I know the mechanics and track design were gutted pretty hard. I think the gravity mechanics are a pretty sick idea and feels good to use but they end up feeling half baked and don't make up for how much depth they straight up removed from the first game. I don't find the story nearly as memorable this time either.

3 stars might be a bit generous, wouldn't be surprised if I found it even more mid on another playthrough. But I'll be happy to come back and say it's better than I remember if that ends up being the case.

Un-Gravitify is a h*eckin' ethereal song though, this game warrants its existence just for that song alone.