I actually disagree on that front, I don't think any of the games have immense "wow" factors when it comes to locations (outside of very high areas overlooking the surroundings). I think the feeling you're getting stems from the fact that 1 and X both reside on extremely weak hardware comparative to what was on the market at the time, as such the highs of the tech in them are elevated (similar to how 1 got an increased Metacritic score due to being one of a handful of good JRPGs on the Wii) especially when compared to other games on the system. With 2, you're on a modern platform with increased performance compared to the other Nintendo consoles; this means you're getting more AAA big budget, good looking games that waters down the individual experiences. 

As well as that, it's the 3rd game in the series, so you're starting to get that repetitive 'been there, done that' syndrome. 

Yeah, that test was such a chore, and really highlight X's biggest flaw; its obsession with making the player grind through tedious padding to get to the good stuff.

I definitely do like exploring Mira, especially Noctilum. It's packed with so many enemies, floral and places to discover (and hidden stuff). I do also consider affinity missions as part of the story and are worthwhile of being done. Guess I'm on point too cuz I've just started with Murdress affinity mission,lol.

It all serves the bigger purpose of one of the main points of the game, to explore Mira. Sit back, enjoy the scenery and the game is a much grander experience. If all the player is doing is chasing the next plot point they're playing it wrong. Hell the best advice I can give is add a character you hardly use and gain affinity. The real heart and soul of the game is through their affinity quests (the other main point of the game, becoming invested in the survivors of Earth). I recommend Irena, Murdress, and Gwen.

It all serves the bigger purpose of one of the main points of the game, to explore Mira. Sit back, enjoy the scenery and the game is a much grander experience. If all the player is doing is chasing the next plot point they're playing it wrong. Hell the best advice I can give is add a character you hardly use and gain affinity. The real heart and soul of the game is through their affinity quests (the other main point of the game, becoming invested in the survivors of Earth). I recommend Irena, Murdress, and Gwen.

That's sort of how I feel about the game as well. It's a game that you play to make a life in more so than to get through the storyline. The game is also one that kind of takes you along for the ride as you do things for other characters. I hate describing the story as a "plotline" and rather look at it as a "plot globe" where you start off like a marble-sized bubble that keeps expanding the more you do. It's also an organic feeling thing because the scope of the world in the consciousness of the city seems to expand the more stuff you do.

I mean, you COULD play along doing the bare minimum to get through and make it more of a "Plotline" type game, but that's missing out a great amount of what makes this game great, which is developing New LA, its people, and exploring the world. So when I hear people say "Xenoblade Chronicles X had a short story" I can only feel that they skipped 80-90% of it in order to get to the end as quickly as possible... because what I played of that game was MASSIVE.

Taking to the world on foot for a long time before getting the Skell has its place too. It's surprising just how much of the world is open to you right from the very beginning. Like Breath of the Wild and the stuff you get in that game, there are some areas that you won't be able to access (or at least not access easily) without your Skells. I've read some people actually complain that the world becomes too accessible after getting Skells and that it would have been better had they just stayed on foot. =)

Exploring Mira is all well and good, but giving the player a to-do list of utterly boring chores to get their Skell license doesn't facilitate that, it just adds unnecessary tedious filler. It's impossible for me to get invested in the survivors and their affinity quests when not a single one has an ounce of charisma.