The point of ratings is nothing more than to give you a challenge. Yes, it is good to dominate battles - but in all honesty, it's very easy to do such a thing as well, far easier than effectively managing your HP while at the same time beating the enemy to death swiftly and effectively. It should be noted that at no point does the game force you into getting a high star rating, so you don't need to worry about that if you want to play the game safe. However, if you want achievements/trophies, then this is something you can do after you have beaten the game - focus on ratings to see how fast you can obliterate the enemy. Many people can think that this is rewarding recklessness, but it is not - it is more giving you something to do and encouraging you to try different tactics to see which is the most effective at defeating different targets. I quite liked the system - not because I like fast battles, but because I like challenges.

And let's face it, in XIII, there aren't many challenges due to the lack of sidequests. I enjoyed figuring out ways to beat all the marks with five stars, though. Although the Jumbo Cactuar was a bitch.