I appreciate this game's honesty. Each attack and each move aren't metaphors for a supposed hypothetical battle that occurs in-between cutscenes, but actual events in the canon of the game.
You attack the ground, and in the next fight, the hero comments - 'I'll have to jump next time'. And then, sure enough, they jump next time. It's simple, but this connective string between gameplay and narrative ties this whole thing together really well.
I say this because, well, the story isn't revolutionary or anything - it's the inevitability of change. A well-trodden narrative, ranging from washed up athletes growing old and letting the new guard take its place, to systems of government falling to, hopefully, a better one in the future.
But the way this story is presented, well, I'd say it actually is innovative. The experience of determination against a difficult boss is basically part of gamer canon, and this game leverages that experience to convey the idea that everyone can change, any system can change, given enough effort.
It's an elegant, simple stroke of design, but damn, does it work. I really enjoyed this game.