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Seem, I always defended the game just based on "linear isnt bad", not really thinking about the reasons why its linear.
Ive also always been confused why FFX is well liked despite... also being very linear up until it opens up at the end? But XIII got memed for hallways???
The PS1 final fantasies had a world map, but were also quite linear. With VII you have a world map but usually at any given point it blocks you from traversing pretty much anywhere but the main quest's next stop. XIII was very much a return to their older design principles after XII got a negative reaction and everyone hated it lol.
Yeah I think the World Maps just made the PS1 games feel more open to people lol. So they were kinda fooled by that.
games are pure smoke and mirrors, the mere appearance of non-linearity is one of those intangible things where if you stop trying, people will immediately clock it as "you made it linear"
Honestly I wish people wpuld come back around to linearity. Most open world games have either shitty gameplay or only play well if you can sus out the secretly intended route to explore a world.
VII opens up several times (when you have the bronco, whenever you have the highwind/prior to the raid on midgar, and much earlier than those if you invest time in chocobo breeding/racing), VIII is fairly open the whole time, and IX opens up if you're willing to invest an obnoxious amount of time in a sidequest (chocobo hot/cold). you can never go literally anywhere but you can access much larger portions of the world than is entirely obvious in all of them. X and XIII are substantially different in this regard.