The reviews are definitely mixed. However, some of them basically criticize it for playing like a game from the late 1990s, which seems like what this was going for in the first place. I think a problem with reviews today is that they give too much weight to breaking new ground and addressing every trend in the history of that genre up until this point. I mean, if FFVII came out today I'm sure they'd criticize the blocky graphics and random encounters.

Fair enough as Vivi pointed out, some of the reviews did criticize it for regressing in some areas even when compared to the older games.

YL is clearly meant as a throwback to the old N64 3D platforming era (which had some great games), and as far as I can tell it succeeded. It doesn't need to revolutionize that genre if it was already great.

Griping done. I'll definitely play this at some point.