I love XII, and for awhile there, it really restored my faith in the FF franchise.

It was the first game since the SNES days to actually give me a cast of characters in which I actually liked everyone as opposed to one or two, it had a magnificent political story, while straight forward for a Matsuno title, still felt ever more deeper than any "Save the World from the Evil from Beyond" that clutters this genre. Its combat system was inventive and fun and finally gave the players true freedom (which ultimately led to many people discovering how little of an imagination they really have) and gave us a world that truly lived. Vayne is one of the most controversial and memorable antagonist in the FF series and the Judges established themselves a permanent fixture in the Ivalice world.

I honestly feel that XII has the most human story in the series, the party actually distrusts each other, the adult look at the kids as liabilities as opposed to equals, and everyone didn't become all super "buddy buddy". It was refreshing afters years of the formulaic FF titles. It was the first FF to really take the series into a mature direction and not actually shy completely away from the darker elements like in the past.

It is one of my top favorite entries in the series.

Granted the game isn't perfect, as others had pointed out the pacing is pretty bad at times and lord knows I have issues with the randomized chests and tedious grinding required to get Ultimate equipment. But most of it only slightly bother me cause the story was great and the atmosphere of the game was splendid.

Tp ANGRYWOLF: We're not completely pretentious assholes here though a few of us can be (like yours truly) but as long as your respectful (which you are imo) you can say whatever you feel like, we're not Nazis here; though if I get thirty "I hate FFXII" threads going in two weeks I might pipe up and say something...