deterrence!

[Jowy]

So many recommendations on why people SHOULD play this game. Its real good, that's why.

For those that didn't make it all the way, where did you stop and why? And if you couldn't beat Vargas, we all died their our first times too.

[Quindiana Jones]

I stopped playing recently. A lot of stuff happened in my life, and I've not the will to start again. No other reason than that, really.

[blackmage_nuke]

The first time I played this game I was stuck on the final boss because I had ran from every enemy and Vanish/Doomed every boss.

[Nightsintodreams]

I ended up putting this game down for awhile, because real life kept getting in the way and I was HATING the fact that I had to grind out a fair amount of levels in order to keep myself decently set up for when the parties eventually split up into groups.

I really only completed it because I hate leaving a game unfinished...but wow, what a slog towards the end. :/

[Edge7]

I ended up putting this game down for awhile, because real life kept getting in the way and I was HATING the fact that I had to grind out a fair amount of levels in order to keep myself decently set up for when the parties eventually split up into groups.
This. This kept me from beating the game for the longest time. That, and my PS3 crashing (definitely playing with a real memory card from now on).

[Bolivar]

My first playthrough went uncompleted mostly because I had just played Chrono Trigger and FFVI just couldn't compare. The fact that it was the last Square game using a fixed overhead view with four directions of movement really hampered the creativity and keeps it below the level later games achieved.

The environments were unique, but I don't think they were interesting enough to keep me playing. I didn't find any of the characters compelling. The dialogue quality is just as mediocre as any other RPG at its time, and arguably as bad as 8-bit games. The combat also wasn't really that enticing for me, and combat is one of the most important things that keeps me playing an RPG. It's more broken than FFVIII, because with FFVIII you at least have to go out of your way for a little bit to do it. FFVI hands you Edgar's inventions, Sabin's special moves, and level 2 spells long before any enemies who stand a chance against them show up.

I'm glad I ended up beating the game, because the World of Ruin had some of the best dungeons I've ever played.

[Flying Arrow]

I find the beginning of the game slow and a little bit disorienting, and have stopped at least one playthrough just outside of Narshe (yes, the beginning).

I don't like the MagiTek combat, and I especially don't like the RTS-lite section in the Moogle cave. Together they just make the beginning of the game a bit of a slog. To be honest, I don't even think the game starts to pick up until the team heads off to South Figaro... and even then, I don't think it really gets good until the three-way split gets resolved, which itself I don't find all that engaging either (but then it gets pretty bitchin' until the end, more or less).