So a bit of history-- most every time FFXII comes up while me and a few certain other members are hanging about, we get into forum arguments about certain things.  There's one member in particular that is pretty good at proving his point and he has even had me doubting my thoughts on the game, after all, I didn't even finish it (tried twice, got to the 16-20 hour mark each time).

Maybe I'm just being too critical or maybe you really do have to finish the game I thought.

Well, while looking around for something on Gametrailers.com I happened to notice a review for FFXII:

After watching that, I feel a bit justified again in my hate for the game since it mirros exactly everything I have been saying about the game since the first time I played it (that was the first actual review I've read/seen of the game, never actually bothered looking at one before).

Story/Characters

• Story-- while it's an interesting political story, it's not about the characters and you feel as though your characters have little to do with the story (I only thought the story was uninteresting, the review said it makes you feel as though you have little to do with how the story unfolds).
• Characters-- not interesting and little to no motivation to be there.
• Little to no emotional connection to the characters.
• Gameplay works well on paper but no in practice.

License Grid/leveling

• Great genre changing idea but poorly implemented and unbalanced
• Very many options but weak magic and overpowered melee encourages everyone to be the same
• Quickenings and summons are good, but cost far too much to make them actually useful (I never actually got to these)

Gambits

• Again, great genre changing idea but again poorly implemented
• Mainly use them for the mundane healing tasks you don't want to do or to get past the tedium of the insane amount of grinding you must do
• You don't actually get the useful good ones until very late in the game, instead they start you with ones you just don't want or need.
• Gameplay just can't support a game of FFXII's length

Goods

• music
• voice
• translation
• open world feeling

So I feel a little better after watching that I'm not just being overly critical, grumpy, and crazy.  Except for the parts where noted, those are the exact things I've been saying since my first play through.  ^^

 The only thing that really confuses me about that review is after all that criticism they still gave the game an 8...

Twesterm.

Why do you feel like you need to justify your dislike of the game? Is not your dislike, in and of itself, its own justification? There is no need to hold up someone else who agrees with you as some kind of proof, firstly because it's an appeal to authority (a logical fallacy) and secondly because, dammit, you don't have to justify opinions!

There is so much I don't get about this topic, even ignoring our long-standing disagreement about this game.

It's more being bored and no interesting topics.

Plus, I want your gumpy avatar back. ;_;

Would it not make sense to make your own topics, then? Or, rather, to partake in new experiences that you do enjoy so you can talk about them? What do you seek to gain in appealing to an authority for an explanation of why you don't like the game? We know why you dont' like the game. You've said it before.

Go have some fun, dammit! Come back when you've played a game you like and want to talk about how much you like it.

But it's more fun to bitch and moan!

We are on an internet forum after all...

I refuse to participate in this, to add fuel to a dying flame by throwing up my dissenting opinion! Yea, go out and let it be known your dissatisfaction is greater than your satisfaction, until no satisfaction remains in you and it cannot be said that those who know you know what you like, instead knowing only what you do not.

I take my leave!

I know I really enjoyed the game, I just can't remember all the reasons, though I think the stunning CGI cut scenes were helpful. Of course, it is inferior to FFX in every way, but most games are. I guess I just have the patience to grind through, but I am fairly sure I played something like 60 hours in 4 weeks, so I must have really loved it!

Without taking the time to construct an elaborate counter-argument, I'll just say I'm with Khuutra on this one.

If you're going through all this work for justifying your hate for the game, I think you're just trying to hide that you actually loves it more than anything in the world.

I don't like FFXII either but I don't feel the need to justify it...

haHA!  A winner is me!