X-2 is not a bad game.
There, I said it.
Is it brainless? Mostly. Does it have a reason for existing? Not really. Did people want it? Definitely not.
But you know what? I don't care. It has a dumb story and stupid moments aplenty. But it's so lacking in pretense, so self-aware, and so shameless that I can't help but respect it.
Its battle system is fast and enjoyable, its job system is an excellent advancement to the concept, its non-linear structure gives you a variety of missions, sidequests, and minigames you can't help but find something to keep you entertained, and I appreciate that in a series that, quite frankly, was needing to take a step in that direction.
It's a dumb game, yes. But it's also the game the series needed. There was some legitimately great ideas in this game and it's a shame that people dismissed it.