I agree that the game has really shone some of the complexity and greatness of the FF villains. I've always like Emperor Mateus but seeing him in this title I really feel we get a much better understanding of his truen intent and level of evil. He's quickly becoming one of my favorite villains. Seeing the character bounce off each other shows really promising stuff, from Zidane and Bartz friendly rivalry to Terra and Cloud's soul searching together. Even the WoL is presented as this iconic figure, more like a mythic hero than a real human being and it actually works for the game.

I'm especially pleased with the parallels to the original games story and themes. Its created an odd "wholeness" with the series.