Good review, well written and you captured the gist of the game quite well I think. Almost enough to make me want to dig it out and give it another go, then I remembered where I got stuck the last time and well...I'm still thinking about it.
You're right the game could almost stand up on the setting and visuals alone, but not quite. The screenshots on the back of the box are what prompted me to pick this up out of the bargain bin well, not long after it came out actually, it didn't go over very well unfortunately.
It might be good mention that this game was from American McGee as well. This is what he did after Alice and before Bad Day L.A.