This seems like exactly what they promised, a N64 styled game. I get reviewers not liking it for what ever reason, their opinion. If you were a backer I don't see this as a bait and switch or even a let down like Mighty Number 9.

Maybe, but Playtonic didn't work on the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game. I believe they're working on the Switch version. Hopefully that leads to a more technically efficient game. 

Now that you mention JonTron... these reviews could be due to the alt right trolling.

Mario Odyssey is something different, maybe more like what Mario 64 and Sunshine in a larger scale.

Yooka Laylee sounds like its trying to be Banjo Kazooie 3. I've only completed Banjo N&B (the most under rated platformer ever).

Here's my question, is classic Banjo/Yooka Laylee style games too dated or is Yooka Laylee just a bad game?

I highly doubt any of these reviewers give a crap about the JonTron nonsense. 

As for whether it is dated or just bad, I can only say that the whole swinging turn that Yooka does (the only aspect I can judge from a distance) is something that should not be in a platformer with tight platforming challenges.  That's the only archaic design I can judge from here and if a lot of such old foibles long left behind by Mario and other platformers are there, then yeah I could see some people really not liking the game if they are sensative to that.  The camera issues are also concerning to hear about cause that's the most universal complaint about 5th gen platformers, even the best, and that that issue should crop up in a 3D platformer 30 years later is not good.  The only other thing I will say is the animation and weight of the jumping looks a bit...odd.  Could be a non-issue, again, just looking at a distance for now.

The performance issues however are unacceptable.

Eh, I backed it at the lowest tier that included the Toybox+, and I didn't drop the dough to upgrade to physical, so I'll take what I get. I've spent $30 on worse and less, and if I get even the enjoyment of a 7/10 on this, I'll be fine.

Hmm. No time to actually read any reviews at the moment, but the excerpts sound like many reviewers weren't in the mood for a Rare collectathon. Only thing that concerns me as a backer is reports of derpy performance. Odd that Playtonic didn't work on the PS4 version, despite that being the one shown off the most.

It's not just that it hasn't evolved, it's also not as good from what I gather

One of the game's larger problems is that there's rarely the sense, as in the best level-based platformers, that a realm has been constructed around unique concepts that are elegantly paid out as you make yourself the master of associated abilities. There are puzzles that are specific to each world, including the option to transform into various goofy vehicles care of an absent-minded octopus professor, but by and large, going from book to book is more a question of altering the mood than the mechanics. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2017-04-04-yooka-laylee

Since I never played Banjo Kazooie back in the day I don't think it will hold up without nostalgia to push it along.

Not surprised, game looked painfully basic.

2017 is a year with a lot of great games, but also quite some disappointments...

Lol, ikr? The nostalgia effect seems to be somehow picky when BotW ONLY got it's good scores because of nostalgia  but now a Banjo-Kazooie clone doesn't. Strange world.