Wait? People think that games with overworld maps were not linear? It was just a much larger corridor, but a corridor nonetheless. Often, in the older FF titles that had an overworld, you could not really go far without either meeting a guard blocking a key pass or the geography blocking your way. At least most of the them started rather linear until it opened up with a vehicle (be is ship or airship) though those were often unlocked only mid to end game.

As for SE itself. I tend to only get games that I think I will like. I really enjoyed both Deux Ex: Human Revolution and the latest Tomb Raider. Both really enjoyable games. I also enjoyed the recent FF (X, XII, XIII, and XIII-2). Would I say they were flawless? No. But they were still decent games and I enjoyed myself.