controlls and handling is spot on, minor issues with the camera on rare occasions (no pun intended), but what I have issues with mainly is the level layouts/designs, some of the lighting/shadow work is a bit ugly at times, and the music feels very uninspired. Overall the game is 'okay' and is no where near as insulting as Nuts&bolts was. Still, You know what I think the game is missing? Center pieces for the levels. The best levels in the original game all had very memorable centerpieces that the levels were built around. Rusty bucket bay's ship, mad monster mansion's mansion, clanker in clanker's cavern, witchy world's circus tent, etc
yooka-laylee's first world on the other hand is just piles of rocks everywhere and a hollowed shell of a temple at it's center, there's absolutely nothing memorable about any of it's design I felt.

To give an idea of what I mean, when I park my car at work I usually do so in front of a lamp post, if not then near it. That's because it serves as a clear cut reference point you can use to judge your distance, speed, etc.
Likewise some of those centerpieces in those old banjo games made for good reference points. If you get lost at any point you could just make your way back to the massive snowman, crocodile, or pyramid in the middle of the level. yooka-laylee on the other hand just has piles of rocks... the maps so far feel a bit convoluted, especially the second level/world.
In the case of the music it's kind of the opposite issue and is more of them copying the original style too closely and not doing anything different/original. Rather than sounding like something new, it sounds like the music from a handful of banjokazooie levels mixed together. While playing the first level of yooka-laylee I couldn't stop thinking that it sounded like a mix of mumbo's mountain and the Cloud Cuckooland. Second world has a very nice/charming melody but not a memorable one. Keeping in tune with the original is all well and good, but you gotta bring something new to the table.