So, I've started to do more of the Grand Pulse Missions and I'm quickly being blown away with how much this game is packed with end game content.  There is more content in Grand Pulse than the entire playthrough of FF13, and is NOTHING like the story.  
 
Grand Pulse is fully explorable with zero linearity.
 
You face some of the most insane boss battles, and the battle system makes sense due to the end game content.  It's as if Square made the system just for the content for post-game rather than make the story first.  
 
When i first entered Grand Pulse at Chapter 11, I was about 18 hours into the game.  I finished Chapter 11 around the 32 hour mark, and that was just the tip of Grand Pulse (doing anything past Mission 20 is impossible without beating the game).  After you beat the game, you unlock all Level 5 jobs, and have access to the most amazing HP, Attack, Magic, and abilities...this is the only way to even attempt the majority of Grand Pulse.
 
I'll take pictures of it tonight with my camera to show you the scope of the monsters, the content and everything else.  I promise you guys this, despite how linear FF13 is, I give you my word that the end game content makes all of it void.  The end game in FF13 is the best in the series.  
 
You have the basic 64 missions (which are very long and hard), the Trials of Titans (some of the most elite bosses and most of them you have never seen, Advance Bosses only reachable with Chocobos, full Crystalis Grid, and a lot of other surprises...oh there's also a big ass tower with insane challanges).  
 
My score of 4 Stars still stands due to the shitty story and characters, it's 2010 and Square needs to learn to stop using silly anime cliches.
 
The following two maps are just the central area of Grand Pulse and one of the later advance areas.  The central area of Grand Pulse is bigger than all the story areas combined....and it's ONE SINGLE ZONE.
 
Check out more at over here.
 

I too really enjoyed what I've seen of Grand Pulse so far. I haven't completed the story yet, but when I came to Pulse I did every mission I could. Best of all, it never felt grindy or boring - it was constantly encouraging me to explore and giving me new enemies requiring new strategies along with new jaw-dropping scenery. The game pretty much took a 180 turn and went from nazi-linear to encouraging sidetracking and exploring.  
 
It's basically split into two parts - end-game and story, both covering completely different aspects of the genre. In that sense, it's a success. Though it wouldn't have hurt to have the 20-25 hour long completely linear first stretch interrupted with, say, the first 10 missions or something - just for a much-needed change of pace. 

" I too really enjoyed what I've seen of Grand Pulse so far. I haven't completed the story yet, but when I came to Pulse I did every mission I could. Best of all, it never felt grindy or boring - it was constantly encouraging me to explore and giving me new enemies requiring new strategies along with new jaw-dropping scenery. The game pretty much took a 180 turn and went from nazi-linear to encouraging sidetracking and exploring.   It's basically split into two parts - end-game and story, both covering completely different aspects of the genre. In that sense, it's a success. Though it wouldn't have hurt to have the 20-25 hour long completely linear first stretch interrupted with, say, the first 10 missions or something - just for a much-needed change of pace.  "

I'm glad this FF has alot of End Game Content, I love that about FF's.  Pure awesome single player experience even after you beat the game.  And usually pretty challenging.  
 
It is odd that they didn't let you explore and do some non-linear stuff earlier in the game though.  Hell, didn't FF12 even let you do that?  I know FFX forced you to wait for the Calm Lands but I think 12 had you doing hunts within the first few hours.   I could be wrong though...

" I'm glad this FF has alot of End Game Content, I love that about FF's.  Pure awesome single player experience even after you beat the game.  And usually pretty challenging.    It is odd that they didn't let you explore and do some non-linear stuff earlier in the game though.  Hell, didn't FF12 even let you do that?  I know FFX forced you to wait for the Calm Lands but I think 12 had you doing hunts within the first few hours.   I could be wrong though... "

i beat every mission except 51, 62 and 63 before i beat the game :D just need a good strategy.