It's not the best game in the series, but I don't think it's as a bad a game as some people make it out to be. No I not a giant fan of it either, I got the game, I played through it and I tried to like it and at the end I can say that I did like it, not a lot, but it wasn't that bad.

For starters I have to say that I just don't like the plot of the story. A god takes a nap and the kids want him up? I'm not saying it's a bad plot, I think you can work something interesting out of that, but it's not what happened with FFXIII. I think the characters needed more depth, both villians and heroes. Also the game is too linear, with almost zero exploration because although you do get to move around in a huge area, it feels more like you're in a zoo putting down creatures in a simple 'go from point A to point B' fashion.

I did like the visuals, the cut scenes, and the battle system (I'm disappointed on how the summons were implemented, they feel more like a safety line than a real battle option). That's just my opinion.