Games are all linear to an extent. But it's getting harder to deal with the real traditional JRPG's for me. I just tried to follow up Mass Effect 2 with Tales of Vesperia and I didn't last an hour. And I like JRPGs. But it's so simple and straightforward, I just can't do it yet.
FF XIII will have more eye candy and a little more pizazz than a Tales game, granted, but I fear that my ability to just get lead through might irk me a bit. Gonna play it, of course, but I'm glad I'll have some space away from a great WRPG first.