Endless Sky was surprisingly addictive to me, it really scratched the exploration itch. Sadly I played through most content at some point, so now I’m waiting for there to be enough new stuff for me to play again. I really enjoyed it, including the stories and lore and universe!
As a fan I think that sounds like a good way to view it. That said, I found surprising moments of beauty all the time, maybe because they stand out more?