I disagree, Enslaved takes the automation in automated platforming to a whole step up from the likes of Uncharted and even the AC series. For one, there is no sense of satisfaction to be had for scanning the environment and finding out where to proceed. In Enslaved, you don't perceive what the character can grab onto, it just shines.
Albeit, there are some accessible areas off the beaten where it does require some tact and searching to reach. But for the most part, platforming in Enslaved is straight-forward, to a fault. There is almost always a sense of safety when Monkey scales buildings and tall structures, and that stems from the gameplay design that he can never fall to his death, unless the ledge or platform supporting him falls, or due to environmental hazards.
The story, is really all about Monkey, Trip and later on, Pig. The script and interactions between these characters are the highlights of the narrative (Andy Serkis :3, wished he could have played a more interesting character than Monkey though). The plot, ending, universe are quite unexceptional, surprisingly. I anticipated that the story would be the main draw of Enslaved, I was half-right.
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For those who don't know, Enslaved draws influence on the Chinese tale of the Monkey King or know as Sun Wukong (google it), made a servant to a priest who has the power to keep the Monkey in check when he 'misbehaves' or is about to do something rash (which Sun Wukong often does) through sending a shockwaves to the Monkey King's head through the head ornament he wears. 'Pigsy', a literal pig-man, also accompanies the priest in his pilgrimage.
Some intriguing parallels here.
ForceFreeze
I'll concede it is a bit more automated than Uncharted's mechanics but only by a sliver. When compared to something like Assassin's Creed of even InFamous, what Uncharted offers is incredibly linear and even a bit clumsy in some regards, as the player is given little agency as to where and how to traverse the terrain during the more dramatic moments of the script, generally speaking. I find both games to have underwhelming platform-ing components when contrasted with AC and InFamous and it was probably my biggest gripe with Enslaved. I do agree with your overall assessment of the shortcomings and I think the game (or a potential sequel) would benefit from more freedom for environmental traversal.
As for the plot, script and general setting of the game being "unexceptional", I would posit that is entirely dependant upon the context of the assessment. If comparing the narrative to stories found in literature and even films then yes, the components you mention are a bit…mundane, with an overuse of tropes and perhaps a less-than-original dystopian setting. However, when contrasted to the mediocre narratives found in the majority of games, I actually found the story to be far more engaging and well-acted than most and I actually paid attention to the plot, which is something I typically ignore when gaming. (I probably skip about 90% of cut scenes in all games) Also, as I remember, the ending seemed to be little more than a precursor for the sequel, which explains why some found it a bit weak. (I thought it was an interesting resolution though perhaps a bit too Matrix-ish for some)
I actually liked the Monkey character, though he's more of a brutish archetype than the original mythology suggests. I also found the dynamics of the slave-master relationship between Monkey and Trip to be compelling and far more divergent and unique than the typical Save the Princess/Kill Every Mother**** you see with gun archetypes that so many games rely on.
I only have a passing knowledge of Journey to the West but based on that limited knowledge I agree they created some interesting parallels with Enslaved. I'd love to see a sequel.
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