Reading the complaints about choosing possibly combo-performing structuring and pixel art over quality netcode has got me thinking now too, and I see myself still taking it how we got it. 20/20 hindsight and all that about how XIII could've been as slow as it is in the demo part of the game before you push start and had great netcode, but a slow, non-Capcom, slightly pretty pixel game wouldn't have made many waves to begin with.
I honestly think the game has lasted this long in the FGC's consideration because it is original enough to be different from Capcom's 2.5D or ArcSys-esque sprites. That is a hell of a sacrifice to make if that's what happened. But then again, if only good netcode = guaranteed success for any game anyway.