I must have started this game four or five times and have given up everytime. Basically i didnt like how leveling up was nessessary to learning magics/skills etc. If you stay on a low level, you can't learn anything. This wasn't a problem for final fantasy v, vi, vii and viii, the other final fantasy's i played, as they had a system with ability points for jobs, espers, materia, and guardian forces etc

So what kept you playing? I understand the story was good and the characters were good, but the actual gameplay is the most important. I enjoyed what i saw of the characters and story, but i didn't enjoy actually playing.