This was a major let down for me. It is considerably worse than the first title of the series in every single aspect, except for art direction. Many of the main plot points are just the same from previous games. The characters suffer from a weak and generic development, especially the main character. The story progression seems kinda rushed, as it starts off really slowly and by chapter 3 it seems the game just wants you to finish it already. Also the battle system can be really confusing sometimes as both your actions and your enemy's seems to delay your "turn".

But, even with it's flaws, it's not a bad game, I'd say it can be pretty challenging if played on hard difficulty (and even cheesy sometimes) and that can lead to a lot of fun. The job system is kinda the same but having 5 ability points from the get go can be very handy at times, and having less 2 cost abilities also helps. As for the cities and landscapes, most of them are really stunning.

Overall experience: 5/10
not a bad game, but not good either. If you want to play a classic jrpg with a modern twist just play the first entry in the series, as it just feels fresher and has more personality.