I wanted to post this just to say.
FFVIII
You can store energy yes? So why would it have to be physical? You store so much energy and release it bit by bit in the form of the spells it takes.

As for applying it and changing stats. In the realm of fantasy I would imagine this would easily be possible.. after all you have buff spells.. so why can't you buff by absorbing the energy into you?(not most sensical but meh)


Also the sign of the good story teller is to leave some blanks. You have to leave something for every one to imagine... I wouldn't read a book where everything was spelled out and my imagination couldn't get a kick start. Off course it is a delicate balance. But I feel 8 maintained it well enough, perhaps not as good as the world's best authors.. but it was fine. Plus they may have thought the magic thing was a logic leap that we would all be able to perform. Assumptions can reak havoc when writing.

FF6
As for this.. well I loved the lack of a main character. It was added realism to me. Someone always would take charge with plans.. but it felt more real.. It was on a world scale. Think about if the planet completely changed like it does would you end up in the spots with the rest of your party? It was chosen to help build up characters stories that they felt needed some building. I would have made it more mandatory to pick everyone else up, for story purposes.

The loss of focus is annoying at times.. but I don't think it truely hurt the story line(possibly cause I have read books far worse in that focus category. Plus most books I like have many many points of veiw.. and you will sometimes be in one persons point of veiw for a while.. and not see them again till the end.... 400+ pages later. So this may just be personal taste.

FFIV
About the biggest gripe I got with any FF game I have played is the number of random battles in FFIV... I mean really.... I only like fighing so much.