After reaching the 14 hour mark, I feel that no matter what, I am committed to beating this beast. I wish there was a way to praise this game without finding another flaw. So, I feel I'll spend this post actually trying to find positives. 
 
The story after several hours has found ways to plant hooks within it's repetition. I am left curious about what certain characters are alluding to and curious to know what their back stories are. I am almost certain the repetition within the setting and dialogue have to be integral to the story and I am intrigued as to how and why. Beyond that, I am most looking forward to the homecoming and seeing what has changed and what is left.
 
After several hours of battling, I am sprawling throughout the sphere grid trying to fill up every slot after each battle. Observing the different links and patterns, I feel this has to be the most interesting form of leveling up I've encountered. Thus far, I will say I'm guilty of reloading a couple saves just to see how different the grid would become if I altered several paths.
 
While I'm not even remotely close to the ending, I feel as I'm over the hump and currently just closing loose ends. But I could be wrong...