Yeah, I didn't like it. Sue me.
I'll admit, this game does look a lot better than its predecessor. The environments are more detailed, the enemies are much more impressive, everything just looks more appealing. Strangely, the obligatory flying portions look really bad.
The game's combat and platforming have also been improved. Platforming is much easier. It looks like the game designers worked quite a lot on this aspect. Combat is also more satisfying. The blaster is no longer totally useless and a couple of new characters were added.
I would've enjoyed this game, I really would have if not for its insane difficulty and incredible level of "cheapness". Every level plays smooth until the "player-killer part" comes up. Either it represented by a platforming sequence in the best traditions of "faith jumping" and "trial & error" or by an incredibly tough, cheap-shot taking enemy. This game has spoiled many levels for me, too many to count, actually. And, yes, the boss battles are still ridiculous.
Although this game seems to particularly hate the player, I had a quite good time with it. Sadly, its flaws are so ridiculously stupid that they turn a great game into an "above-average" one.