As for XII, most people stopped playing it about halfway through, because yes, the story sucked.
However, the battle system certainly doesn't "play itself" towards the end of the game. The end is where it truly shines, as XII has the most engrossing and time encompassing end game of any in the series. The story even picks up a little at the end as well.
I feel you must play through XII using a walkthrough your first time through, because you will miss a ton of stuff without it, including the best weapon in the game, period. You can miss the best weapon in the game in the first 15 minutes without a walkthrough.
That is a poor design choice, however, with a walkthrough, and a good knowledge of strategy, by the end of XII on a real playthrough(with a walkthrough) you will, as I found out, find it to have the most addictive combat system of the series, and that's not a fact, but it's true.
I don't need your console war.
It feeds the rich while it buries the poor.
You're power hungry, spinnin' stories, and bein' graphics whores.
I don't need your console war.
NO NO, NO NO NO.
