I wouldn't necessarily judge immediately. I honestly thought XII was going to be a ridiculously typical worldbuild for a story that has sky pirates and princesses--it didn't help that I had a parallel drawn up for it compared to another game released for the Gamecube that wasn't FF at all. I was like oh. Deserts. Oh. Castles and flags. Oh, of course, wackyshit flying devices. FORTUNATELY, it proved to be as rich as any of the others.

I think it's going to feel weird right up until you're playing and experiencing it.

Of course, I'm a person who has to ~feel~ something to like it (just telling me to play/read/watch something because I'll like it won't get me on it any faster), so I don't know. :(