Interesting twist from predecessors, with the same oddity that the others brought. Definite buy.
Fighting the battles on a stage was an interesting way to go, though I preferred the manner they did in this one, which is you simply fight them in the same habitat you were walking through. It's much smoother in my opinion.
The controls are a bit odd (I didn't like having to turn the controller just to point at the screen) but manageable. Once you start getting into the game though, you hardly notice it. It does get a bit repetitive at times, but so did Thousand Year Door so I suppose it's just part of the series design.
All in all, it has an interesting story concept (even if it is a bit predictable), an unique way of combining 3D in their 2D setting, and has plenty of things that will interest someone with an open mind to this sort of gaming experience.