Levels or Sphere Grid?

Is the return of the horrible sphere grid back in FFX2?
Also how is the abilities? I've been reading around and some ppl say its like FF9 but does that mean it has the crystals that you fill to be able to use the ability explain more plz.

The Grid is similar but more direct in the sense that you do not use it to make your character stronger, you use it to allow your character to access abilities, it's not like FFX at all.

Yes, it is similar to FF9, but you can only use that ability once it is mastered and also only when you have the dress sphere equipped on yourself.

You can access other abilities with a grid that allows it. for example

If you obtain a sphere grid that has the ability to let you use the Dark Knight abilities, you do not need to have the Sphere Dress Dark Knight on the grid, you can put something else there and you will still have access to Dark Knight Abilities in your options menu. There are 60 different grids you can get for your characters >.<

For example, I can have Yuna as a White Mage but because I equipped a grid that allows Dark Knight abilities, she can also do ARmor Break while in her White Mage Form. It allows to use more abilities without having to change spheres.

Does that make sense?

You have to tinker with the Grids to get different abilities and also the spheres, you can't access stuff you are in the middle of learning, only once it is mastered, that is the only difference from FF9.

And the grid is not all THAT bad >.<

The grid was good in the sense that you controlled who knew what and how strong they were, but it also got really boring once Tidus or Auron could do Holy for 99,999. Or when Mindy would do Passado for 99,999 every hit. The levels are good, and the dress spheres are better seeing as you can only be one class at a time (excluding special garment grids and accessories,) and if you don't use that class much, then they suffer.