This recent upsurge in BD lurve is making me want to go back and check out the new difficulty levels (I played on the default mode on the J release, whatever that was). I enjoyed the battle/job system but just didn't need to use it much. Does that change much on the new modes? And is 'New game +' challenging at all? (i.e. do you fight tough monsters all the way through, or do you just mince the regular ones with your uber-characters?)
(i agree almost totally with Prole's gaf rant btw. well said.)