With big names comes big expectations. I would put this with the Chrono Cross syndrom. Chrono Cross in its own right was an amazing game but people saw Chrono and just assumed it would be JUST like Chrono Trigger.
I think the name Final Fantasy does the same for this game (and the other so called Spin-offs) Taken by themselves they are great, but with a name like FF the expectations sometimes get ridiculous as if magically they are supposed to be something supernatural.