To me FFXII was a step in the right direction that XIII completely, utterly, and unforgivably smurfed up.

The game's dialogue is amazingly well-written, "I'm Captain Basch!" nonsense aside. With the exception of maybe Baldur's Gate, the good Fallouts, and Planescape Torment, I have never seen a better written RPG, or even game for that matter. The localization is shockingly good. The dialogue is almost Shakespearean at times but it totally works. That is enough for me to get into it.

The battle system, while not perfect, is fun, involving, deep, and strategic. It's tactical but gets your blood boiling.

The story is good, just different. The plot is much less melodramatic and much more subtle and nuanced. I wouldn't say it's the best, but it's handled in a fun and exciting new way.

I hated this game and voted it as the worst in the series when I first got it. But after I matured and played through it, I grew to thoroughly enjoy it. I'd give it another shot if you view it a certain way.