Magic materia suck

[Raistlin]

Magic materia can be linked with Elemental materia for specific defenses and attacks, as well as with Counter and other materia for specific automated actions and reactions. If you're just using the Fire materia to cast Fire, you're not taking full advantage of FFVII's mechanics.

I certainly concede that magic materia, especially early on, has additional benefits outside of simply casting it. I still would prefer Enemy Skills to those, though.