Technically, it's made to use Linux's framebuffer, which means it can be used from virtual consoles outside of X, but not (for example) from within an xterm or other terminal inside X.
Really, you can render the framebuffer into an X terminal session? That is not possible, is it? Or is there some other port besides the GTK port, that you're referring to?
Everybody knows this is for Framebuffer...
Well, I for one didn't. I clicked through thinking it might be a console web browser like lynx, and wondering how it would be graphical. "Command line" is not a good descriptive term.
Looks like a neat lightweight browser, though. I've been stuck with lynx on a linux virtual console enough times to want this. :)
So the situation is, I don't have X, but I do have a mouse attached? That happens a lot...
I spend most of my day ssh'ed into one box or another, writing code in vim, so being able to run NetSurf would be a huge improvement over links, which is what I currently use.
You could, instead, try ssh's X forwarding feature or maybe use something like VNC to display X applications on you local machine. Then you could run any browser that uses X.
Every project has some shortcomings, and everyone makes some mistakes. They're not personal or fundamental criticisms, and nearly everyone here (myself included) seems to see value in the software.