It was living in the shadow of Ocarina of Time when it was released. Combine that with how different it was (as in "not traditional"), and you've got a fan rejection. The same kind of think happened with Metroid Prime 2: Echoes. None of the critics (this aimed at MM, but it goes for both) gave...
It was living in the shadow of its predecessor, Ocarina of Time, and follow that up with its non-traditional aspects (especially after Ocarina of Time), you get a game that is not appreciated (and even rejected) by most fans. Game reviewers always saw it as it truly is, as they weren't viewing...