Respectfully disagree.
The game is pure old-school arcade style action and platforming, the combat seems shallow until you really start experimenting with it and start to straight bring the ruckus. Constant retreat and pew pew pew is boring, pushing forward and effectively using the limited mechanics at your disposal is great. I understand that not everyone will enjoy it. It's the only game I ever platinumed and one of the few games I raised the difficulty on because I became so attuned to it, it was just beast mode all day, lol.
I think a lot of people wanted it to be something it isn't and just plowed through it while firing forward/retreating.