So, I just beat it.

Overall, I found the game absorbing and fun. Definitely a step in the right direction after XIII. I really enjoyed the open world setting and variety of things to do, the quest system and the battle system (after learning it properly). There was some truly jaw-dropping moments - I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I summoned Ramuh. The overall design of the game was excellent - art direction, music, voice acting (save a couple of characters), attention to detail - all great.

When it all boils down though, I play Final Fantasy games for two things - story, and characters. And I've got to say I agree with much of the opening post. It just doesn't have that X-Factor that FFVI through to FFX has for me, and that's down to poor storytelling, some frankly odd pacing, and poorly fleshed out characters and ideas.

That's not to say the potential isn't there. I think it very well could've been phenomenal, and that's all the more frustrating to me. For example, I lacked a true sense of menace from the villain and the stakes at hand, even though potentially he was excellent. I didn't really feel a sense of devotion or investment save for a couple of excellent scenes where you could see the potential of it all - that last scene around the campfire with your friends where Noctis struggles to speak - just awesome! So frustrating.

Instead I kind of feel left with barebones, and that a bunch of stuff was missing. If it's fleshed out later via DLC, I'll revise my opinion, but also be quite angry.

Overall, it's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. It's just not a classic Final Fantasy at this moment in time.