Dissidia 012 Final Fantasy

I write this review from the perspective of a lifelong Final Fantasy fan who thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay and nostalgia of the first FF Dissidia, on which I spent more hours than any other game in recent memory.  My overwhelming recommendation for this game cannot be overstated for anyone who has loved a Final Fantasy title at any point in their lives.  There are two key selling features to this game that ultimately kept me coming back for more. 
 
First, this game brims with Final Fantasy nostalgia while also polishing up all the right elements.  The characters that span 20 years worth of Final Fantasy titles all presented in a cohesive art style, the classic music, the signature weapons, the summon spells - this game really manages to pack in everything you loved about the series over the years.  Watching Squall face off against Kefka with the battle theme of FF 13 in the background may seem like an absurdity to some, but it is experiences like this that make your fondest memories of the series come rushing back. 
 
While the nostalgia is certainly a driving factor behind my enjoyment of the game, the creators actually managed to make a greatgame to go with it.  What impressed me the most about the game is how different each of the characters actually plays.  Unlike the Street Fighters and Mortal Kombats of the world with palette swapped characters abounding, Duodecim packs in a huge character roster full of unique play styles.  Experimenting with the different characters is what kept me playing these games for 300+ hours.  Every time I mastered one character, it got me excited to learn the next one.  I found that each of the characters was satisfying and none felt boring or throwaway.  While everyone will have their favorites and there are some characters that seem more powerful than others, I think everyone will find several characters that they love. 
 
These two elements really make this game special in my opinion.  While this game has flaws:  a nonsense story, boring main play mode, and absurdly difficult late game content, it is easily one of my favorite games in a long time.  I would recommend it highly to any Final Fantasy fans as well as casual fighting game fans as there is a lot to love in this game.