America was when I felt it started to get better, but then that may have been because the stakes had risen somewhat. But it was no Camelot or anything that came after.
As people said, I would play the Epic of Remnants. There is actual some necessary story from them too. The second isn't well regarded, and it and the 4th are less important for the lostbelts that immediately follow from what I remember, but the first (my favourite of the 4) is definitely recommended to be played. And the third even more so.