I played the game with a tonic enabled that reduced the number of checkpoints in the standard chapters in exchange for a greater quill yield. That whole process took me about ten to twelve hours, I guess? But my point is it gave me around 40 spare "hits" in the Lair.
The Lair itself doesn't have checkpoints as its meant to be a long gauntlet but it is very difficult. But I remember it took me about two to three hours to finish it properly, with ten hits remaining.
But if you get hit, or you fall of an edge or something you just lose a hit.
I reckon I could do it much better this time around but did to time restraints with the review and such I didn't get a chance to revisit until now.
Its definitely not "too hard", it's honestly quite manageable. The third major part of the lair I finished with only one to two hits being taken on my first time through, so I think it's really down to your proficiency with platformers.
I could see how It can be demotivating to get to the very end and then use up the last of your hits and have to start again but you just get more and more proficient since you're repeating. I personally was more motivated if anything just because I knew how close I was getting.
I personally found it both refreshing and rewarding with how difficult it was.
