I gave up on Wisps primarily due to performance, but also due to its overly punitive environment. Spikes are the biggest culprit. They don't need to be littered through nearly all of the overly fussy/pretty environments and platform gauntlets. It is hard enough to see some hazards as it is, let alone when foreground scenery is in the way. Constantly reloading a tricky checkpoint doesn't suit the cutesy, fairy tale setting of the game either.
On top of all that, I just don't think it's a particularly good videogame. The controls are nice and some of the platforming is solid - bashing off enemies and projectiles to get to out of reach areas is inspired, but it doesn't take it any further than the first game did. The map is rubbish and nearly all the upgrades to your abilities are boring. Secret areas are usually just a hidden hole with a health/spirit upgrade and nothing more. The bosses are wars of attrition on the whole. Good luck on a boss if you're not leveled up enough, you'll be there forever until you're sick of it.
The comparisons to Hollow Knight are largely redundant. Both games have two things in common - they are 2D platformers and both have a health recharge ability, the latter of which Wisps nicked from Hollow Knight.
The spider boss battle is all the worst bits rolled into one. I agree the basic platforming/movement is cool, but this fight starts with an unskippable cutscene, then has a drawn out fight where you see what a ridiculous health bar he has, there's a secondary thing to be done, covered in spikes of course, so you can swing around a bit better.
You then get a second bit pattern, but it doesn't start a checkpoint, it's not until you have to do a proper platformy bit you get a checkpoint, which takes you to another protracted 2 part fight.
Once the light mechanic kicked in, I was dunso. I possibly should have switched to the light shield thing for that bit, but I was needing so much health regen for the rest of the fight I forgot.
Sometimes it seems like it's only his head which is on the 2d plain and can hit you, other times, it seems like it's also body, but not butt, you can certainly get stuck under him in a big void of light and effects and stuff and who knows. Every attack he does seems to hit you an extra couple of times just to give you the shits. The ground pound is particularly annoying, triple jump or or double plus dash to land just in the the gap between them, and if they hit you, you stagger, so you get hit some more.
Anyhoo, I gave it a bunch of goes, but it was just giving me the shits, and it's midgame boss. I figure there's gotta be an end game boss even more annoying.
Apart from what chalice mentions, I think the main problem with the spikes and harshness (apart from tonal problems) is that using polygons and 3d stuff makes for pretties, but they've basically found a way to shoehorn all the problems with 3d platforming in. It's way to vague to be so annoying and punishing.
Hollow Knight gets the tone right, but also, because of the clear art style and the literal drawn lines, it's rarely unclear what's going on and hitting you.
Agree with most things being said about Wisps but seemed to enjoy it more than most on here. All the bosses are wonky at best and a couple would've been horrendous without health regen at certain spots.
I have to say I like nothing about this remake whatsoever, which is surprising to me because I love Nintendo stuff - particularly anything Zelda. I dislike the art style in this quite a bit. I can't put my finger on it but I just don't like it at all. It feels like a cheap funko pop imitation. I was expecting the lovely, polished aesthetic of Animal Crossing but this is way off. The music is also really irritating.
Gameplay wise it feels so old - because it is. They have done very little to bring it in line with the current elevated standards of modern games. The game feels basic and dated. Small and compact but not in a good way. Areas are tiny with little to discover, the level design is perfunctory at best, going in and out of caves and houses is tedious. It suited the Gameboy way back when, but these days it just feels shallow and unengaging. Like a very cheap mobile game. Very disappointed. Just goes to show not all games need remakes.