Side quests: 

Took down Garuda and saw the cinematic fight of Odin and Bahamut so that's where I'm at. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've only done two side quests so far. One being serving food to people in a  small tavern like area, literally putting the food on plates, and second was getting lumber for a dude across the area. That's it. Unless I'm missing how to get quests, those are the only ones I've gotten. So far side quests, very much lacking. 

Action Game?

Obviously, the heart of the combat seems to be taken from Platinum and or other action games. You start in your hideout and you go to the map to select your area or stage. The stages, (so far) play out very formulaic. Starts with a cutscene --> battle --> walk a very linear path --> battle and or small cutscene --> walk path, repeat a few more times --> possibly mini boss or story boss. When playing this game I was thinking I'm shocked after every battle there wasn't a grading system. The whole action game concept in compounded with the use of the crystal or whatever it's called in the hideout with stage select and arcade mode... Where you guessed it, you re play the stages and are graded, given a set level for each stage. 

Even the more open areas I've been to feel very small tbh. 

My biggest crits are the side quests and the overall exploration in the world. It feels so formulaic tbh, I'm really hoping that changes. People criticized FF 13 for being overly linear, but at least that opened up in the one chapter. 

Cinematics Eicon battles are visual spectacles as well, but during my fight with Ifrit vs. Garuda it was very much do a small combo --> watch a cutscene --> anticipate a square for attack, R1 for dodge, or mash square for clash. Again... this might change, but controlling Ifrit fell into that pattern of me watching a lot of the action instead of doing it myself. 

Party members are MC, Torgal, and Cid so far (I know that will change, but overall really like both of the party members despite not being able to use them, minus commands for Torgal). 

Story so far grabs me and has kept me interested. I loved the environment in the eye of the tornado with Garuda, and the cinematics are some of the best. I just wish there was more freedom as well. Hopefully the hideout maybe turns into a big city to explore (again I have no idea).  Wish there was more freedom of exploration as well. Even 15 as well, while it started linear, by chapter 4 or 5 really opened up. 

Very solid action game, but I am missing the exploration aspects of the game.