Ending 2 feels harder than Ending 1 because it takes away the easiest late-run crutch: using the Item Merchant to smooth things over. The structure that matters is simple. It is the no-merchant branch, it usually wants a stronger rebirth setup behind it, and it tends to feel much cleaner after Ending 1 is already out of the way.
Preparation is the first big difference. Ending 2 is not the kind of branch that feels good on a weak save just because the route sounds simple on paper. It usually lands better once the economy is stable, the permanent bonuses already help, and the run can absorb ordinary movement mistakes without falling apart.
The merchant rule is the other big difference. On the qualifying Ending 2 run, Item Merchant buys are the thing that needs to stay off the table. The route feels much cleaner once that is settled in your head from the start. Instead of expecting the merchant to fix the run later, the whole branch works better when the save is already strong enough to carry itself.
That is also why weak saves struggle here so badly. Once the no-merchant condition is active, every messy rebuild and every preventable mistake starts feeling more expensive. The branch can ask for more manual play, and that feels much rougher if the run was leaning on shopping freedom to stay comfortable.
The rest of the route usually feels better when the broad permanent-progress work is already done first. Gems, useful secret progress, and a cleaner save give Ending 2 the base it wants. Then the qualifying run can stay focused: no merchant buys, no unnecessary side cleanup, no trying to rescue the route with last-second fixes.
Preparation matters more here because the branch is less forgiving even when the map itself already feels familiar. Taking away the easiest late-game safety net changes the feel of the whole run.
Ending 2 usually lands best as the final challenge after the late-game loop already makes sense. If Ending 1 feels like proving the rebirth cycle is organized, Ending 2 feels like proving the same cycle still works when the merchant crutch is gone. That is usually the version of the route that feels clean instead of miserable.