Hi, new here, but I just saw this thread and having just played (and loved) Xenoblade Chronicles, this thread seemed pretty relevant.
As I was playing through Xenoblade I couldn't help but feel like I was playing an (almost) alternate version of FF XII, but something was off; I actually thoroughly enjoyed the former, while I couldn't wait to be finished with the latter. What gives?
To start, the license system. I couldn't stand it. Much like FF X, I felt the leveling system sort of drew away some of what made characters unique in other entries in the series. True, all characters would start off representing a specific class with the stats/armor/weapons they're given, but you could rather quickly change that by the way you manipulated the leveling system. I know it adds a level of freedom, but I feel it takes away from the focus that's traditionally involved in RPG characters.
The other, more irritating part was the gambits. I was literally told that if I wanted my party members to act competently, I'd have to pay for it. I felt like I had to farm for gear, pots, exp., and now, the overall intelligence of my party. To top it off, the system allowed you to basically remove yourself from the game by simply setting gambits to the party leader; you could even automate movement while in battle.
So yeah, between XII and XIII, XIII wins. That's not to say it's great, but at least it bought back some of the roots of the series. I won't lie, some of this is biased due to my preference of turn-based battling in most JRPG's.
