I for one loved FF 13 was fun, the game play was good went through the whole game without using auto battle which made it better. I laugh when people say FF 10 and below had better game play when you beat those games solely on spamming attack and cure command all of those have almost the same strategy to beat don't really need much else to beat those games, as where FF13 involves using everything about the battle system.

example:
FF7: Don't really even have to equip materia cause it's useless and doesn't make the game play better at all can beat the game without it

FF8: 8's system was a little better but in the end you didn't wanna use magic in 8 cause it gave better stats than being used besides using the almighty aura spell and of course cure and float for that one boss fight.

FF9: 9's AP system was actually useful but in the end you didn't really need it

FF10: Good battle system for switching chars in and out, but the game was totally beatable by using the attack command and using potions

FF13: FF 13's Battle system actually requires involvement in using everything to beat the game. Magic was useful De buff's, buff's, and even tanking. All these elements in the game was important unlike the others where spamming the attack command is the way to go.

On a side note i know a lot of people hate 13 but 10 and 13 are very similar in a lot of ways.

Example: Both were very linear sometimes i use to wonder what was the purpose of hotel's in 10 when save spheres healed you. also you could back track in 10 which i liked

Both have an tedious grind to them to max out your chars and FF10 is far worse than 13's. Grinding for str spheres and etc to max out.

Both of them reused monsters a lot for the post game content just stronger versions both games hardest mob had an powered up version of a boss you fought already. not including the dark aeon version which counts as an remake.

Then the last Ultimate weapon grinds both were very tedious again Ff10 was far worse like trying to dodge the stupid lighting or getting under 00:00 time on choco races...

In the end to me FF 13 gave you stuff you did before, but fleshed it more that's just how i see it tho.