all games are not created equal

I already compared OoTW with another game earlier, which sparked me to finally check out another game from the same producer, Eric Chahi.

Quick recap, OoTW was a very cinematic sidescroller that had engaging cinematics, no spoken dialogue (with the exception of a couple lines spoken from the aliens that you can't understand), and a great variety of level design and gameplay.

I finally checked out Heart of Darkness, and was quite amused!  It honestly felt like playing a version of Out of This World that I never seen before.  HoD does contain traditional cinematics to fill in the story, complete with English dialogue.
I skipped most of the beginning cutscene, though I understand enough that you play as a young boy with a vast imagination.  He wears a colendar as a helmet, and somehow starts with a lightning gun.  He can use this gun to zap the main villains, which are these little shadow demons. 
It plays much like OoTW in that every screen feels like it's own puzzle, where you have to think and plan how you want to tackle the obstacles.  For example, one of the first screens has you blocked by a large shadow being.  The shadow is create by some suspended stationary bones.  You use your lightning gun to destroy the bones and the shadow monster is gone. 

While HoD is certainly more bright and colorful, and the characters are pretty loveable, I can't say it beats the original.  HoD feels a little twisted, almost like American McGee's Alice.  OoTW is genuinely very dark and gritty, however.  The lack of any dialogue in OoTW is also preferable.