I'm about 12 hours in, spoilering story stuff in case anyone wants to play this:

(SPOILER)So you team up with Edge and then go to Fabul where you get Rosa and Yang. I forget where exactly but Tellah joins you in a cave. You fight and beat Rubicant in Castle Damcyan. Tellah is looking for his daughter so he goes there but when she's not there he leads you to Kaipo where he finds her well and leaves the party. You pick up Rydia in the ruins of Mist on your way to speak to the King of Baron about being crazy and working with Golbez. He throws you in prison, you escape through a sewer and head to Mysidia. Cecil, Rosa, Edge, Yang and Rydia head to Mt. Ordeals but Yang leaves after beating the boss there. (it wasn't the Fiend) After becoming a Paladin, FuSoYa teleports you to the moon where he explains Golbez is trying to revive Zemus with the Crystals. He then ages up Rydia and joins the party and transports you back to Earth.

I just stormed Baron, killed the Fiend King and Kain replaced FuSoYa in my party. Got the airship and currently grinding for GP to get new gear from Mythril.

Also I can't remember for certain, was Hide one of Edward's commands? Here, Rydia can use it.

And man, Cecil's White Magic is beyond worthless. Only thing I'm glad for is he has Scan which means I can look at a boss' weakness while keeping Rosa on full heal duty.

Ironically, the hardest boss yet was Octomon or whatever it was called. Fixed pattern but hits a lot and often and Cecil couldn't survive its Delude water attack that hits the whole party.