First off, the game design on display here is exemplary. Each world's unique mechanic was introduced clearly and gradually developed, leading up to that world's climactic final stage which requires mastery of the mechanic. Planning an optimal route through each stage and then executing it is a blast, and the enemy placements (and the timed waterfall gates) did a great job of complicating the routing on the fly. Even though Horti doesn't meet the criteria to be considered a "time attack" game, there's definitely some pseudo-speedrun appeal. Having to wait for an enemy cycle or getting stunned for a brief moment were effective soft fail states that motivated me to improve the route and risk close shaves with enemies to save time. My favorite level was Jumpy Jungle 2, but the quality was great across the board.
All this is to say nothing of the incredible aesthetic touches and sound design that gave Horti a fun and bouncy feel. That bassline kept me grooving until the credits rolled, and I'm sure I'll be booting it up for another playthrough not long from now.