[bluestarultor]

I dunno why everyone is saying you need the datalog for context. Phantom didn't. You can't even make the argument that I already knew all the crap from being on FF Wiki, because I made a point to keep a lid on any and all spoilers. He never checked the datalog once and didn't have a problem with it, and he wasn't even particularly excited about the game after his experience with XII. He actually picked it up for my sake, popped it in on a whim, and barreled on through of his own accord.

Really, if you just pay attention to what's going on in the story, the datalog is entirely redundant. Phantom's assessment was that it just was repeating stuff he already knew. He didn't bother after the first few. We're now in Chapter 11 and piling up on Missions, so unless there's something in the last two chapters that really biffs it, I'm counting the datalog as not as necessary as people seem to claim.