Right. If all you're comparing is the 1998 movie, that would be like basing your opinion of the Houston Texans completely on how they did last year. Just to give some backstory, the 1998 version was SO bad that Toho (the Japanese creators of Godzilla) have refused to acknowledge that that monster was a "Godzilla." To Toho and other Godzilla fans, he is simply known as "Zilla" and he even made an appearance in " Godzilla: Final Wars" (The last Japanese made Godzilla movie) as one of the bad monsters. Here's what Toho thought of the American "Godzilla"
From what I and other reviewers have been saying, it appears that they made a Godzilla movie for everyone EXCEPT Godzilla fans, which is rather perplexing. One reviewer said, "This isn't your mother's Godzilla." Well, me and the millions of other Godzilla fans fell in love with that Godzilla. Still, I'm not one to declare the new Godzilla as all bad. However, for us hardcore Godzilla fans, the truly well made American version of Godzilla is still yet to be made.
To get an idea of how the Japanese movies differ from American, I'd suggest watching Godzilla GMK: Monsters All Out Attack. Consider that many feel that is one of the best Godzilla movies of all time. Compare it to how the newer one is, and I think you'll understand why this new one, while not bad, is not what us fans are used to or really wanted overall in a Godzilla movie. I won't post the link as I'm sure it's against site rules, but if you just Google "Godzilla GMK" you'll find a link to watch it on a site that is like Youtube.