As with anything else, it helps to go in without expectations. I hadn't heard anything about this game before, so my view of it was untainted. The combo system for fighting is fun, the fights aren't too frequent or infrequent, and I have no idea how someone would beat the game in 7 hours. If he did that, then he was rousing through the game and it explains why he didn't enjoy it.
That being said, it's not like I'm saying this is the greatest game ever. It is fun, though, and the story is captivating.