I honestly think the whole "linear" argument is just bogus. Just about every single Final Fantasy has been this way. Even if it provided a big world map you really only had 1 destination you could go to anyways. I am about 11 hours into the game and have been able to fully utilize the battle system to it's fullest for quite some time now. The game has it's fair share of hard battles. To already be saying this after only a hour of playing really isn't fair at all. Give the game a full chance, i promise you wont regret it.

Hmm, I am going to stick with it for a bit, I really do want to like it!  But I'm really not very happy about having to wait 11 hours till the game acually starts challenging you.  It'll be like being stuck in a corridor randomly pressin X for 11 hours!  Not my idea of fun!!!

I really don't think the story actually ever gets interesting. Gameplay wise you get to start actually having the real battle system in place by the time you are at about Chapter 3, at which point it become more of pressing X all the time while you switch you Optimas (Paradigms). It really actually a really good system despite a lot of it being "X BUTTON" since buffs/de-buffs and the actual roles will play a major part on whether or not you actually do well in the game. As far as the linear nature of the game goes, you have to get to Chapter 11 before you're given any sort of freedom. That takes anywhere from 15 to 25 hours depending on whether or not you're rushing the game. If you hate the battle system by the chapter you are probably a good 10 hours in chances are you'll hate the game because the side-quests are more or less things like hunts/marks and really that's just more battling.

Two things;

1: It isn't about how linear it is, but about how limited you feel. I cannot see how the argument is bogus if people really feel it's constricting.

2: I'll give up on any game that hasn't captured me after 2 hours. That's how much time I'm willing to spend figuring out if I want to play it or not.

Not that this should in any way stop you from enjoying Final Fantasy XIII.

Theres a lot more to the system that just hitting the "X" button. Experimenting around and you will find this out quite quickly.

You are correct this won't prevent me from enjoying the game, i love it, and think it is a phenomenal game. I just hate that many people won't even try the game now after reading some biased reviews and told misleading information on the game.

So you are saying all final fantasies only had one path to reach each goal and no open areas..... BS you are a lier.  There are no side quest in FF 13, no MINI-games and is only one long long path to go, also 1 hour in game and win batles by pressing one button is stupid.

i found it interesting from the very start

From the first minute

Story: Chapter 1
Battle system: Chapter 3
Challenge: Chapter 4 I think can't remember

This is about right.