Some of that may be key. I adored Terra for some reason. I also adored Locke, and Sabin, and Cyan, and Edgar. A good portion of the most prominent of the main cast. I'm also one of those people who wholeheartedly approve of Kefka

But I suppose like all great games of days gone by, its probably better represented in context of the times, rather than in comparison to other great games that have come along since then. Certainly things have been better expanded by now. The big thing for me is that I can't think of any games before VI that did anything nearly to the degree that it did

And I can see how the bleak dystopian flair may set people off. It is a depressing setting and a depressing story. I for one loved it for that, but it may not be for everyone. I love dystopia settings. I love steampunk. I love when creators manage to do the impossible and build a world where science and magic can co-exist in a believable and cohesive fashion