I think the level design of those games is really oriented to test your reaction time, with things like quickstep sections, slide sections, QTE sections, etc, instead of relaying too much on platforming. Maybe that's why sometimes you feel like the level design of those games is running on a hallway, since the game doesn't use is own gimmicks too much, basically to don't overwhelm the player with things to do, and the game help you a lot on curves and things to sell better the idea that you're going super fast without doing really much.