Overall I didn't enjoy it, but it had its moments (like first seeing Gran Pulse and pretty much anything involving Sazh). For me the main reason I didn't enjoy it wasn't so much because of the linearity, but because over the over-melodramatic dialogue and fairly bland characters (well, I still think Sazh was awesome).

I'm still glad I played through it, and I say at least give it a good go. It really did not take me that long to complete either.