SE never dissapoints Final Fantasy Fans & this is no exceptional with lots of SURPRISES !!!
The Gambit system is brilliant as they save much effort to select what action to be taken by each character. The AI to the system is simple but incredible. Moreover, the License Grid is also another new addition to the gameplay which is consider Daring Change & successfully pulled it off. With this License Grid it will ensure longer gameplay as it requires the player to kill more monsters to obtain LP points besides trying to Level up with the EXP gain. In which License Grid is used to allow character to perform certain Magicks or Technicks or even equip some weapon / armor or even increase you stats when LP points is used to unleash it.
The entire Ivalice world is beautifully crafted, with large areas to explorer & discover. The plus point to this game is that at different area / place the enemy are at different Level, although you are allowed to explore some places but you need to level up you character & buy more powerful weapon & armor before you are able to defeat some monster (e.g. if your HP is only 1000 + it is advisable not to roam to some areas where the monster are at HP 6000 above coz you won’t last long in the area). But if you’re capable to kill some of these monster the EXP is able to help you Level up quickly.
The sad point to this game is the Esper (Moster Summon), they are so weak & practically useless to BOSS Fight & even to some monster fight. It is more advisable to use Magick or Physical attack as they dealt more damage. (and may I say that all the Esper looks Evil) I still miss the old summon type that they will immediately use their Limit power to damage the foe. I would suggest that they use the FF VII concept that the summons could only be summon once in a fight & best of all over time (i.e more walking) it will charged up the summon to be used in the next fight. If Square is to incorporate this, I bet I would give it a 10/10 points. Moreover, the Quickening (Limit Break) is also seems weak to certain Boss Fight. And what is up with the Random feature when you have to depend a lot on luck to make more Chain Hits. I would rather they allow the user to use 1 Limit once the Quickening and made the damage dealt stronger better than weak attack & luck to achieve more Chain Hits. I once able to do 17 chain hits to one of the Monster in the MOB Hunt (Level V) & it only damage 1/4 of the enemy HP (I’m at Level 35). This show how weak the attack is unless you are at very high Level. I doubt even if I’m at Lvl 99 and hunting MOB Level VIII the damage of 17 chains will do more that ½ damage to the enemy HP.
All these said, overall the game is excellent but not near perfect. It is what of expected by FF Fans and not expected by FF Fans. Nevertheless, it is great fun to play & enjoy the CGI.