Damn, that's harsh. The story IS dumb and simple, but that was the point. U1 was just a laid-back action game, that never took itself too seriously, with likeable characters and good humor. Although, there was a slight twist at the end concerning the Island, that made for some good horror sections.
I look at U1 as being just one of Drake's more noteworthy adventures. In terms of its level of importance, it might not be high in the overall story - even though the games are all loosely connected to each other. But, it's definitely worth a go, if you just want to have some fun, sit back, and experience where the series originated from. I finally replayed it yesterday on the HD Collection, and I thought that Bluepoint did a fantastic great job with the remaster. The updated graphics and sound are exceptional.