5. The battle system is okay. I wouldn't exactly call it new. The leveling and battle system are basically a mash up of the FFX and X-2 system. Except in both of those games you could control whole party. The battle system is interesting but I wouldn't call it great. Which normally wouldn't be a big deal but in FFXIII you are either in battle or in a cut scene.
4. The lack of an overhead map and towns is what makes FFXIII such a monotonous grind. There is nothing to break up the monotony of fighting to the next cut scene. You look for the fight, run to the yellow icon, see a cutscene and repeat. They didn't streamline FFXIII they stripped out all of the personality. Ripping so much out of the game, puts a bigger burden on the battle system, story, and characters. If you don't find those elements to be excellent you aren't left with much.
3. The game does put you right into the story but I don't think it starts fast. The first ten chapters of the game are an extended tutorial phase. The game holds your hand over the first 15 to 20 hours. Slowly unlocking the features of the battle system and character progression. The story may start fast but the gameplay elements progress at a snails pace.
2. I actually agree with this completely. Sazh was the character I thought I'd like the least, but he turned out excellently. Also, kudos to the writer for calling out the lack of depth to Cloud and Sephiroth's characters.
1. This has nothing to do with the quality of the game. It's seems like a tacked on reason just to get to a total of five reasons.
