what silence said.
seriously I couldn't agree more. This is the type of party I have been waiting for in an RPG. A party that actively interacts, argues, and thinks about each other and grows over the course of the game (not only by themselves, but their relationships as well).
They're flawed of course… but it's a lot more interesting watching them grow than having a mostly static group comprised of several "uber-badasses" competing for fans attention devoid of real personality, with all but their character design helping their cause and completely overshadowing the rest of a lame party of shitty forgettable loli's and joke characters.
Like you said, the ffXIII party members aren't just one walking stereotype after another with a half-hour long (at the most) past scene dumped on you all at once. No, it's a party that builds and develops character over the course of the game, that, so far, is very very well presented.
I'm at chapter 9 and nothing so far has felt enduring to me.
People can whine about Hope and Vanille all they want, but as I said before, even WITH their sometimes irritating characteristics, they feel much more genuine than some perky little JRPG stereotype. Hope has his reasons and it's delivered in a believable way and Vanille, much like snow, is putting on a front.
I've also gotta mention how well this cast fits with the world around them. Not just some random teenagers who're powerful for no fucking reason and end up fighting gods like it's an everyday sort of thing. This game actually provides a REASON the party starts evolving the way they do (becoming l'cie and gaining magical affinity). People fear their existence and power they have, rather than tell them about local news and let them rummage through their house. It just seems more believable in association to the world that has been presented to me. These characters are becoming remarkably powerful at the expense of being in a supremely shitty situation! Not for the hell of it.
Finally, I've just gotta mention that Sazh is the shit. I've never seen a character quite like this in a JRPG of all places.
! the scene where he confronts Vanille and gains his summon is very powerful. To me, when he chose not to shoot the person who ruined his life, his kindness and maturity under so much pain, hate, and anguish was about as epic as it comes. even for being some of the primary comic relief for the party, the game takes Sahz very seriously
hmmm… oh the singing in the Chocobo song sucks