Square Enix does it again, with another amazing Final Fantasy title.
Linearity is not really an issue in my opinion as many FF's before have been this way and it certainly opens up a lot through the second half. Fiends that are bigger than life are stunning, the world is well inspired and beautiful. Characters are quite good, Lightning is an instant favourite with her strong attitude. This time around, you seem like your actually with a party of people as they will follow you commenting on things like scenery.
Graphics are stunning as always as are the movies Final Fantasy is so well known for. The battle system is great and probably one of the best ones so far. It is addicting and fun to play. This whole game feels really cinematic, and the music score is great too.
Lack of towns don't really bother me personally, as you probably won't notice amist all the fun your having. A lot of 'problems' have been fixed in this installment, like random encounters and the ability to replay battles instantly is icing on the cake.
The story may not be up to par with the others in the series, but it is still a pretty good one, and the universe this game is set in is so vivid it makes up for most, if not all of the faults. You'll be stunned by the production values of this game and the sheer amount of value in this game. Pick it up today, its one of the best games to date. The Final Fantasy feel still remains in this game, as if your taking on the world with your small little party.
Pros
+ Stunning Graphics and Movies
+ Likeable Characters, albeit a bit cheesy at times
+ Beautiful Universe and Vistas
+ Great Battle System
+ Great Music
+ Plenty to do more than 60 hours of game
Cons
- Linearity in first half may deter some
- Not many towns or useful NPCs
- Not a very traditional RPG