In October 1999, Jason Warburg reviewed the album in for The Daily Vault, giving it a "C+" rating. He recognised the band were looking back at its 1970s output yet looking forward to create a "new definition of 'The Yes Sound'" which he welcomed, particularly with "Homeworld (The Ladder)", an example of how the group "can unquestionably still tackle the sprawling, multi-themed rock numbers that were once its bread and butter". However, Warburg thought Yes continues to struggle to "define itself" yet blended its progressive 1970s and pop-oriented 1980s sound better on "The Ladder" than "Open Your Eyes", and Anderson's "New Age blather" and "airy optimism" in his lyrics hurts the music at times. In the following month Gene Stout, for the "Seattle Post-Intelligencer", wrote "The Ladder" "is a bright, optimistic album" with an unusual combination of orchestral rock and reggae textures and styles. In the "Daily Herald" in the Chicago area printed a positive review by Rick Baert. He gave the album four stars out of five, and also welcomed the band's return to elements of their musical roots which he said were missing from "Talk" (1994) and "Open Your Eyes", noting the opening track as "traditional Yes". "It Will Be a Good Day" reminded Baert of "The Revealing Science of God" from "Tales from Topographic Oceans" (1973) and "The Messenger" of "Fragile", and noted "If Only You Knew" as a rare "believable love song" by the band that comes off as authentic.