Such an unbelievable improvement over its predecessor that it beggars belief, especially taking into account its lukewarm reception. Everything the first game did well is replicated here, and better - the sense of unfathomable scale is alive and well, married to environments that are far more visually interesting and diverse and, crucially, far more enjoyable spaces to play in.

As for what the first game did poorly (i.e. literally everything else), the improvement is out of sight. The combat is far more interesting and its embrace of MMO-style combat roles actually, like, works now; the blank cyphers of the first game have been replaced with colourful characters who you'll love or hate, but at least you'll feel something about them; the story has actual stakes and momentum now; the side activities are considerably more thoughtful in their execution.

Yes, the game is horny in a way that absolutely sucks. It's purely a taste thing, but I would personally still prefer objectified women with personalities and agency to the lifeless woman-shaped mannequins of the first game. It's really more of a lateral trade than I think a lot of people want to admit.

All in all, I'm a little sad I took as long as I did to get to this one. For all its distracting aesthetic misjudgements, this is one of the most wholly satisfying JRPGs I've played in a hot minute, and enough to make me a Xenoblade convert after the first game comprehensively failed to impress me.