Square Enix changes the usual Final Fantasy formula and delivers a great game!
Story:
The story, though convoluted at times, will keep you wanting more. I often found myself telling me "Thirty more minutes" , but ended up playing for 2 more hours. The story isn't as epic as previous Final Fantasy installments, but does a great job toning down the scale into a refreshing "King and Country" story.
Sound:
The sound in this game is outstanding. The whole voice cast (except arguably Penelo) has done a great job coining each character's personality. The music, though not Nobuo Uematsu's work, does a fine job making the game feel unique. There are several memorable tunes that you might find yourself humming them without even thinking about it (Giza Plains for me).
Graphics:
Wow. The graphics are top notch for the PS2's capabilities. Facial expressions, CG sequences, gameplay... all of these never stopped impressing me throughout the entire game. Occasionally, I experienced minor lag here and there, but it was never enough to make me actually complain or affect the outcome of the battle.
Gameplay:
The gameplay will stand out the most if you have played an earlier Final Fantasy. The battle system isn't turn based, rather, it is semi-active. You will be out roaming the world in real time and see the enemies in real time. As a fan of the series, I was a bit skeptical, but after some time I actually prefer this style of combat system. Along the way to the end of the game, you will constantly find ways to customize your party with Gambits. Gambits are a way to "program" the characters you are not controlling at the time. For example, you can set someone to heal a character if their HP reaches less that 50%. It adds a lot of strategy to the game.
There is also a lot of extra things to do in the game other than the main story. One of my favorite things were hunts you can accept. When you accept a bill for a hunt, you speak to the person who posted the bill to find out how to find that enemy, and then the hunt begins. Good stuff.
Pros:
+ Great music, story, graphics, gameplay
+ Many extra things to do
+ Ivalice is a beautiful world
+ Lovable characters
Neutral:
~ Changed gameplay from previous installments.
~ Pretty long
Cons:
- Occasionally laggy
- May get boring halfway through (dry spell)