The challenge of this game is often more frustrating than thrilling, but when it's thrilling--it really shines. I loved the animated cutscenes, how they brought such life to the characters, a few of which I came to love so dearly, like Rydia and Cecil.

So much of that is forgotten, however, when the random encounter rate is particularly outrageous and when I think of the very existence of the final dungeon. It was so grueling that I was reluctant to pick it up and finish it--and funnily enough, the final boss is laughable in comparison to the sadism of the dungeon, even if I got sweaty toward the end of the fight.

The necessity of grinding is what bogs down this game; of course, knowledge of the augment mechanic makes it easier, but figuring out how to obtain the most valuable augments, or even knowing that they exist, basically forces you to consult a walkthrough. Their importance isn't stressed enough because they'd make certain boss fights like cakewalks--but this requires you to know that they even exist, like I said. How I would've loved to have Bluff on Rydia, for example... then there are characters that leave the party for good, but it's impossible to know this without spoiling yourself, making you wonder whether using an augment on a character is a waste or a boon (and spoiler alert: teaching Cid Counter was one of the worst things I did).

But no, why wouldn't you use all the greatest augments on Cecil? Seems like common sense, right... but then there's a weakness, that an OP Cecil makes the other characters functionally useless, or at least not as vital, aside from Designated Healer Rosa.

The active-time-battle system drags especially at the beginning when you're at low levels--the meter fills dreadfully slowly. I found myself doing other things while just waiting for my characters' turns.

I had some incredible moments with this game--Mt. Ordeals in particular, and the flashback scene with Golbez--but my God, I would not repeat either the Tower of Babil or Lunar Subterrane.