The one thing I think they need to do...is bring back the special battle music, part of the reason it doesn't feel as exciting is because there's really no special music associated with some of the encounters. For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSJzD...eature=related

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LqY8...eature=related

If music like this started to play when you're fighting say Chimera or an open world HNM, drops be damned it would just be a full rush from hearing the song alone.