I'm really torn. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't like. I found the characters to be bland overall. I usually have sympathy for FF characters because they usually have some kind of struggle to deal with but I just couldn't feel it in this game. I mean it was there, it just made me say "meh". There were times I tuned out of the dialogue because it just wasn't interesting. I couldn't feel the emotion that other FF's had. Instead I heard "yada yada yada Dawnshard, yada yada yada Occuria etc."

And the abundant sidequests do not make the main storyline better. If the mainstory line is lame (which IMO it is), adding a crap load of sidequests only redeems some of the games qualities but in no way affects the main storyline which is what I care about most.

The final battle was too easy and not as dramatic as square does them. I really didn't know I was in a final battle till I saw the ending sequence.

I just liked it because it was a Final Fantasy and had some new features in it that made enjoyable like the new battle system, the clan primer outlining historical/fun facts about Ivalice and little technical things like the vivid details in both Ivalice, NPC and PC designs.

If I had to rate it, I'd give it a 7/10.

For you guys to hate me even more, I'll openly state my distate for FFVIII as well

I loved it more than I hated it.

It was the first Final Fantasy where I didn't have some intense hatred for at least one of the characters.

FFXII was a great game, if you didn't get sucked into all of the side-quests. It was just more political than a lot of the previous games, so, it wasn't seen as that exciting.

I didn't like the espers though, at all. And, I hated how the treasure chests were random, as were the items inside of it.

I completely agree with this.. the random treasure chests bothered the heck out of me, too.. and my stinking walkthrough, "Go get this treasure chest, it MIGHT have a Haste Mote!"...and then I get some useless equipment that no one has unlocked in their lisences.x.x Oi.

I had some problems with FFXII. It is still the only main FF game that I have not played more than once. I think they spent too much time on the graphics and voice acting that they forgot to make a great game.

I thought the storyline was garbage. I know everyone says it's a grown up political storyline but I don't really care, to me it was not entertaining. It didn't draw me in like Xenosaga and Digital Devil Saga did.

The characters had great voice acting which was good, but I thought Ashe and Basch were the only two characters who were properly developed. When I finished the game the first thing I said was "ok so why the hell was Penelo with the group?" "Oh im an orphan like Vaan so I'm just going to follow him around with this sky pirate and his rabbit." I would love to hear other peoples opinions on her if you thought otherwise.

The music was decent but a downgrade after the music of FFX. I thought the battle system was interesting but they made it too easy with the gambit system. I could literally leave the room during a boss battle and it would be over when I got back.

Ok the last problem I had with the game was that it was about 80% extras and sidequests. I have a friend who played through just the storyline and beat it in under 20 hours without skipping FMV's. On his other game he has just about everything and he is well over 100 hours. IMO 15 hours is not enough storyline for a FF game. Hell the first Xenosaga probably had over 15 hours of FMV's.

Sorry for the rant but I don't think I will be satisfied until FFXIII comes out. haha

I understood the gambits for some the harder MARKS (no storyline boss in the game needs gambits) but overall it made battling non user friendly as the computer took control to fight the other computer.

I appreciate the depth of adding such features though.

I have 135 hours in the game and still have yet to complete the sidequests. By the time I finished the final battle, I forgot what was going on in the storyline.

And I absoutely hated that crystalized turd (Great Crystal)...

Love it. I played it once before on my PS2, got so close to finishing it. I decided to start again on my PS3. I didn't really use gambits much the first time round, and neither did I do any hunts.

This time, I'm going to complete everything.

I really like it; i can't say i love it, but really, really like it.

The fact the both mains characters didn't get in love for each other (at least after 20 hrs, i didn't know it they get further xD) and the main plot isn't about save the world (again); it's kinda refreshing.

I vote for "Love it" =)