Whatever the game was in the past, it's an unfair reflection of what it is now. The fact is that in its current state, it's a very fun, chaotic, mostly well-tuned shooter whose climactic moments make its core player base return again and again. I understand why people gave it bad reviews when it first came out, but today they just read as bad faith and inaccurate.
Having put around 200 hours into this game, I can confidently say I enjoy 2042 very much, and thus give it a 5/5, but I could understand why, based on the series' history, one might expect something else and thus give it a 3 or a 4. However, anything less than 3 stars is just bitter and disingenuous about the actual game available here and 2042's player base is better off without such vitriolic manchildren.
Have fun with 1942 and its 5 trees.