Desiring a character based story versus a 'swept in the tide of events' story is a valid point. Different writing for different people.

We all see potential from a different point of view-our unique points of view allow us to see things that someone else may not even notice-heck, they might not care at all, and worse yet, downright HATE the potential you see for something amazing.

I love XII so far. I REALLY thought I was going to love X, but the story lacked the elements I was looking for. The gameplay of X was a far cry better than previous entries in the series, and some of X's scenes were amazing. For me, X didn't tie it all together and 'sell the deal' in the same way that VI and IX did -for me-. There was so much in X.. but the second it turned into a time travel story, it took a huge hit in my personal PoV (point of view) because I have issues with time travel stories, personally. I felt it never recovered the power and momentum of the opening, so when I was litterally about to walk into the next screen to fight Sin for the big final battle, all my experiences of the game ran through my head. I realized that I couldn't recall very much at all of the story, other than how the one sequence in which you get to walk around and talk to the other girls for a glimpse of 'what could've been' was a total sham-I thought I was going to learn about the other characters for a change, and really push, at least a little bit, off of the 'rails' the game was on.

But they turned FFX into a railroad ride.... a railroad ride I was stuck taking with Yuna, the girl who's personality is that she doesn't have a personality. Rikku had a personality! Lulu appeared to have a personality, but they didn't even attempt to let you know her well enough to find out if she had one.

Like I said. I see you love X a lot-I don't need to come between you and that love. I feel differently about the game, and heck-it might be as simple as that I'm a guy. *shrugs* Yeah, it's kinda' lame Tidus died at the end...

Your point on X-2 is dead on. And in that regard, not all challenges are good. In terms of the challenges issued from FFXII, though... I think, or at least hope that FFXII's world design becomes the new point where every game world tries to reach. Not just Final Fantasy games-I mean EVERY game. When making a living world, it needs to live.

I don't know how much of a gamer you consider yourself, Renmiri. I don't know how far you will take things, but I can see one thing in particular. The fact that you understand the point about wasted potential and then can even say that you're pissed because you see the wasted potential in something DEFINATELY makes you an ACTUAL gamer. And so we're clear, that's a compliment coming from me.