That's too bad you can't play this game as a player, It's sad you won't get this great experience.
I think that what worked so well for me was that it was a good mixture between cut scenes and game play. The cut scenes were so well edited and blended into the game. Also, the difference in styles between the cut scenes and the game play gave it a real- your in a dream- your in a land of symbols- kind of effect. At first I was thinking this game was an interpretation of the first one, but now I think it is more of a reaction and associations to the first game, which I enjoyed.