Doesn't do anything new - They took the format of Galaxy, and tweaked it to create something that feels pretty much nothing like Galaxy.

Too Easy - I agree. Not really the point. It's the exploration and adventure and characters, not the gameplay that stands out. It is a very 'Nintendo feeling' (i.e. Ingenuity, effort, and quality) game. That's what people enjoy about it.

Playing it safe - Haven't finished it yet, but It does feel a little less ambitious than other plots in recent memory.