In terms of exposition I was thinking specifically of the ACTUAL EXPOSITION DUMPS. Not characters talking to one another, but the screen fading to black and a narrator explaining to the audience what was doing on.

Ah, okay! That's a thing with the Ivalice games - FF Tactics is the same. *shrugs* I don't mind it. But again, different strokes for different folks. I see it as an atmospheric thing, as the narrator is an NPC and seeing it from his perspective is interesting.

I don't like Vaan and Penelo at all, but I accept that I'm not going to like everyone, and just like with characters I don't like I just tend to ignore them.