Thought I had to throw something in, too. I'm actually the exact opposite of you. I didn't like the gameplay, (Mostly because the game is so friggin' easy, especially compared to the original Tactics) but I like Marche.
Marche loved the dream world, too. It hurt him to choose to go back. And he did not have it completely easy in the real world. His mother gave all her attention to Doned. He gave up a lot of wants and needs for his brother. (I have to deal with a similar situation, I've got a sibling with special needs so I connect with Marche on that level) He was picked on for being the new kid. No, Marche did not have an easy life. Hell, Ritz is the one who has it the easiest. Her problem? Oh no, her hair is white and she has to dye it.
His friends were all running away from their problems. Going back meant that they had to deal with their issues, not hide them. Doned learns to cope with being in a wheelchair. Ritz learns that her hair is an issue only because she makes it one. Mewt learns how to stand up for himself rather than wait for someone else to come protect him. I probably could not have made the same choice as Marche. I would have wanted to stay in the dream Ivalice and indulge in fantasy forever. In the end, everyone turns out much happier than they were in the real world than in the dream world once they learn to solve their problems and not run away from them.
Re: 4
Marche loved the dream world, too. It hurt him to choose to go back. And he did not have it completely easy in the real world. His mother gave all her attention to Doned. He gave up a lot of wants and needs for his brother. (I have to deal with a similar situation, I've got a sibling with special needs so I connect with Marche on that level) He was picked on for being the new kid. No, Marche did not have an easy life. Hell, Ritz is the one who has it the easiest. Her problem? Oh no, her hair is white and she has to dye it.
His friends were all running away from their problems. Going back meant that they had to deal with their issues, not hide them. Doned learns to cope with being in a wheelchair. Ritz learns that her hair is an issue only because she makes it one. Mewt learns how to stand up for himself rather than wait for someone else to come protect him. I probably could not have made the same choice as Marche. I would have wanted to stay in the dream Ivalice and indulge in fantasy forever. In the end, everyone turns out much happier than they were in the real world than in the dream world once they learn to solve their problems and not run away from them.