I don't mind the "cut-scene" nature of the reveals, and they are very well done. ED is an odd amalgam of different game styles; part shooter, part strategy, part simulation, part ARG with groups like Canonn roleplaying on forums / Reddit, part tabletop-like RPG with FD acting as GMs. It may not be the strongest example of any one of those genres in isolation, but the whole combination is unique. You can join in with as much or as little as you like.
What does concern me with the whole Thargoid build-up is that it's going to be nigh on impossible to balance the strength of the alien threat, if indeed it is a threat. Either they will be massively overpowered, which will lead to complaints from new and/or non-combat players that the game is too difficult, or they will effectively be re-skinned versions of the current NPCs which will be anticlimactic for those who've been waiting for a truly potent adversary.
The community response could be anywhere from "Meh, all that build-up for that?" to "Gah! All that development effort wasted on something I can't play." It's a shame, because whether or not an individual player "gets" what FD are doing with this game it's hard to deny the passion and attention to detail that's gone into crafting the build-up. I just fear that with such a diverse player base, when winter finally comes it's inevitably going to leave some players cold. And yes, I saw what I did there.