For 2 years I avoided all reviews and discussion of this game so I could experience it without my judgement being clouded by any preconceived notions when it finally dropped below my $30 limit. At this point I wish I had coughed up earlier, it was an absolutely wonderful game.
The animation and visuals are just stunning; probably the best I've seen.
The gameplay is basically as good as it can be without compromising on any other areas of the game. What one supposed to do in a given area is often vague, but that's not necessarily a problem. There was only 1 section (water-filled room with crate beneath catnip cave) where I had absolutely no idea what I should be doing. Besides that the game does a very good job at subtly nudging you in the right direction.
The camera can be difficult, but, like a battered housewife, things got better when I learnt to stop fighting back.
My biggest issue by far was with those random tutorial popups, sometimes you can go an hour without seeing one, then suddenly there'll be 3 on screen at once telling you how to jump, climb down, and roll. Why they can't be turned off is beyond me. The controls are never complicated.
The big cat really has to be experienced yourself; all I'll say is that I'm probably the right audience to begin with since I fell in love with SotC when the horse wandered off by himself to drink from a pool. Your millage may vary if you're an autist who's never had a pet or interacted with an animal.
I cried 3 times.