IMO it takes a little while to really hit its stride but it gets WAY better when you get a complete set of jobs and learn how to use your paradigms. Selecting different paradigms is how you control your party rather than selecting individual commands.
I found it to be fast paced, challenging, and rewards you for playing well. Every single ability, buff, and debuff has its uses even in non-boss battles. Your party members will probe for weaknesses to figure out what elements and debuffs the enemy is weak against. They get smarter and better as you "fill in the blanks" on enemy weaknesses.
I also just really loved the flow of battle. Instead of just "keep picking direct damage attacks and chipping away til you win" like most JRPGs, it's more about crippling your enemy, buffing your party, breaking their defense, then combo the shit out of them. Lots of split second decisions like "I'm almost dead, can I break this enemy before he kills me, or should I fall back to a defensive paradigm to regroup?"
IMO it's worth playing, although we are seriously due for a remaster so maybe hold off.