Xenoblade 2 takes a long time to get going, not because it’s a long story but because it spends a lot of it’s run goofing around. Once the actual plot kicks into high gear, it’s decent. Where it eventually goes has its moments, even if its a typical “bad guy wants to blow up the world because reasons” affair. The villains are pretty weak, especially the twist villain who you never once give a shit about. The recurring mini boss squad feel like discount Organization XIII members and they wear out their welcome quickly, especially when it becomes really obvious that we’re supposed to sympathize with them later (which came too little and way too late).

All that said, it’s hard to tell what is the fault of the script and what is the fault of the English dub. The actors have talked about how they had no direction and boy, you can tell.