There's quite a bit of character customization compared to past titles, but the NPC dialogue is among the weaker entries. Definitely not the worst, but outside of some of the cutscenes it's fairly generic. The story isn't really all that interesting compared to other titles.
Stardew Valley has had a ton of features added over the years, so PoOT will definitely feel lacking in certain areas by comparison.
I think the biggest drawback to PoOT is the makers, though. It artificially hinders progression and they just take up so much space.
As for some positive points, the farm allows for a variety of customization similar to Animal Crossing, though obviously you don't have things like terraforming and the ability to move your own home (other buildings can be moved). Another feature is that shops actually remain open on typhoon/blizzard days (though almost everyone stays inside). In ToT, you could finally go outside during them, but shops were closed. The museum adds a bit more to do and the camera is fun to use at times.
If you're a HM/SoS fan who wants something new, PoOT is a good game. However, there are definitely better games out there if you're new or haven't played the series in a while. Friends of Mineral Town is a much better game with what feels like a lot more to do. Trio of Towns too if you wanna play on 3DS. Those two games may be better choices if you haven't played since the DS days.
Once more patches hit and the DLC is released, PoOT may change.
I do recommend that game as a whole to play, but it may better to wait. As I've said before, I'm definitely enjoying the game, but given the choice between PoOT and FoMT or ToT, I'd probably recommend playing one of the latter titles first and moving on to PoOT once you've gotten your fill of those.
