I think until the game is in more people's hands, this is a hard topic to dive into, because the balance of [Yooka-Laylee's actual game quality] vs [the broader collection-based platforming genre] is vague in the audiences' mind. That said, if game quality stemming from structure (rather than particular execution) come up frequently in written reviews, it makes sense to consider that at face value. That means a lot of different people got that sense.
I'm not saying any one person has to like the result, but I cited the numbers I did because theoretically, N&B managed something right if the meta-average ended up in the 80s. Comparing the PC reviews, the gap isn't even that dramatic, but if Yooka-Laylee's issues stem from offering something a broader audience doesn't want structurally, then that's precicely an answer to what the OP asks. Even if I walk away from Yooka-Laylee absolutely adoring it, I know that may just be my appreciation for something I grew up on, which is why seeing the cross-section of reviews is interesting in a case where I was going to be buying the game anyway.