Nod-krai receptions proves, as if it was needed, that the problem with Natlan was not that it was modern.
The problem was vibes, which, more specifically, means that it was not recognizable as something.

Liyue and Inazuma? not china and not japan respectively, common fantasy staples.
Mondstadt? that mix of south germany/ east france/northern italy you often find in anime.
Fontaine? european steampunk, we have had at least since warcraft.
Sumeru was the fertile crescent.

If Natlan was just dinotopia it would have been received MILES better.