We should talk more.
I have all three Xenosaga games, every single Final Fantasy title. I'm going through V right now. Unfortunately, after X the series kind of went downhill. Square-Enix became more interested in licensing out new game engines it didn't know how to develop than it did in making the kind of quality stories that hooked people on the series to start with. XI was online broadband in a time where most of the country didn't have broadband. XII was the offline version of that experience and had a politically convoluted story. XIII was an awful mess; just one long corridor of enemies with no fun dungeons. XIV was online, but the initial release was a buggy, unplayable disaster. XV is kind of okay, but it plays more like Kingdom Hearts than Final Fantasy.
I haven't played every FF. I wasn't able to do the online ones when they came out, and I'm missing a couple of the earliest ones. I agree with your assessments though.
I'm awaiting the re-realese of VII. It was an awesome story but I hated what happened to Aeris (Aerith? I rename mine so I forget.). And I was pretty mad at the thief girl. I liked the materia system though and LOVED the skiing game.
I have a new release of X available but haven't played it yet (I really don't play often). I enjoyed it on PS2. There's enough extra to do on the training grounds to drag it out (I like to be a completionist and get my money's worth out of a game - maybe a year's play lol).
XII would have been better without the depth of politics. I actually liked the bounty hunts on that one. That and I was traumatized by running into a t-Rex in a sandstorm early on the first time I played it. The graphics were nice though. Except I got tired of watching the bunny-girl from behind ... The gambit system was TOO automatic really - just sit back and watch your characters fight if you want.
I played XV and it was ok but didn't feel at all like a FF. Some familiar creatures and that's about it.
I'd like to see VIII re-released too. With improved graphics it would be even better. I liked the story and the leveling system.
Even IX was fun, though it was somehow really childish looking to me.
I found the earlier ones to be even harder. I'm partway through a game of V (put on hold when I moved and never picked it back up).
I have all 3 Xenosaga too. I really like those, though Albedo is just - disturbing - in some of the innuendoes. The characters are strong, IMO, and the story not bad. I wish they would remake them but I guess interest in those died. Used copies of the games (especially 3) are pricey I notice. I have to keep my PS2 working - I don't want to lose that series forever.
I haven't found much of interest after all that. I played Horizon Zero Dawn and enjoyed it, but it got tedious at some points. And it DOES require reflexes, timing, and getting at least semi-good on the controller.
I also played the Last Guardian - not much story but the beast is cute and I like puzzles. Not much conflict either.
And I played Dragon Age which is ok to explore for a bit. But the idea of romancing in a game is just weird, and it's more political than I'd like.
That's about it, except Redbox sent me free game codes so I tried Laura Croft which was so-so, and Shadow of the Collosus which seemed pretty pointless as far as I could get in a day. What fun is a world with no characters or even many creatures except a half-dozen enemies and edible lizards?