More like Legendary Axe meets Night Creatures. There isn't as much exploring to do as there is in a game like Super Metroid.
Opinions on Shape Shifter are split. Some people (like me) think it's fantastic, with gigantic bosses; cool music; beautiful graphics; challenging-but-fair gameplay; interesting plot progression, characters, enemies, and environments; and lots of creative ideas on display. Other crybabies moan about it being too hard and having sloppy controls (they take some practice) and an unforgivable save system (this is admittedly bad; you can only save in one spot).
You will have to replay some areas, and the controls will take some practice. With those things in mind, if it still sounds appealing, then go for it.