FFXV battle system look a lot different than the battle system of Xenoblade. Even If Xenoblade isn't turn based system, it is highly tactical, while, FFXV looks really like a pure action game with a battle system almost like a beat them all, just slower.

If the graphics of the games match the one of the trailer, it will be a superb world. But the main questions are: will they make something to explore? If the games is like driving on  straight road like FF13 was walking in a straight corridor it won't do well. Square has showed too little to about the game to judge really.

As mentioned, the gameplay is fundamentally different. Xenoblade has a slow, command based battle system, it very close to the likes of XII and White Knight chronicles. XV is fast and engaging, yet it utilize strategic systems like the gambit system to give the player an overall control over the battle, and the warping system to interact with the environment.

As for spamming the word "awful" without any further explanation why the characters design are "awful" ( even though they share many similarities with the designs from the other games that you mentioned). one thing can be said :

!!!!

Final fantasy XII is held back only by oversights in the battle system and the lack of emotive investment in the story (and how hard it was to follow). It is still my opinion the most progressive FF in recent memory. 

Nothing wrong with ambition. Though I do feel some of it is being spent in places where I just do not give a toss these days.

Trying to appeal to people's sense of fashion rather than attempting to achieve something original in visual design has lost me as a regular.

"Whether it’s driving or combat, you can do what you like in the game. There is that freedom. It’s open world, and it’s possible to go where you want and explore." 

Already confirmed by both directors.

You thought FF12 was a hard story to follow?  Jesus Christ, stay the hell away from FF13 then.

What you said pretty much sums up what I think of those 3 FF games.

I appreciate it tries to be different instead of relying on the same formulas as previous FF games, but somewhere along the line falls short in other departments.

I feel as though the devs are aiming too high and miss the minor details that matter.

WIth the old english and different fractions, I often lost track of who was doing what. 13 was convoluted in the way it was told but was ultimately quite simple. Whilst 12 alongside the things mentioned above was actually plot heavy with tons of twists and turns, so it kinda mattered that you paid attention.

That's a tricky statement, I remember reading that you cannot go everywhere in the game a la Oblivion or Skyrim, but it was more like you could revisit previous stages, places and gaining access to new areas as the story follows. I'm with Lucas here, Square didn't show much gameplay to know how big and how much freedom you can have yet, so it's better to be cautious.

Anyway, regarding the topic I think Square tries too hard to make revolutionary battle systems, and they fail miserably. Also the stories from FF10 onwards were overly dramatic and/or cheesy as hell. Don't get me wrong, I love FF stories but them are plagued by JRPG clichés and teen drama that makes it hard to be considered epic stories.  SE should make a turn based FF with jobs and spent the rest of the money/time in a epic story and world

The Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts games are some of the most ambitious creative projects in any medium in the world. Arguing against that is comedic folly at best. They are by far the most ambitious in their genre, but that much is almost too obvious to be worth stating. lol

That said, yes, the ambition can create flaws like XIV 1.0's failure, which was miraculously rectified by the amazing 2.0. FFXIII (which I argue ceaselessly is a great game) has flaws in its design as well. As long as the company is being functional and not stepping on their talent (like they did to Versus XIII for ages), then their ambition, resources, talent monopoly, and high level of freedom will continue to create the best and most ambitious projects we play.

It's also worth noting that SE's huge KH and FF ambition doesn't seem to go into their FF sequels (not true for KH, which retains its ambition). FFXV-2 (if it does indeed happen) and FF Type-1 are almost guaranteed to be departures from the sequelisation problems seen with X-2 and to a lesser extent XIII-2/LR.

FFXV is looking like the very best of ambition. c: