The original was one of the most powerful songs from a video game that I've ever experienced... I've always had a great emotional response to that song. And I really like this version.
The strings could be better, but I agree with what many others have said... it has soul. This piece brings out the emotion in the song and also adds a different sort of feeling of its own to the original, which works well, I think.
I wish more people would do this song. For now, Neil's work will satisfy me.