In my opinion, open world doesn’t mean being able to complete any objective in an arbitrary order.

Progressive growth is one of the most rewarding things in an RPG for me. That means that I have to rethink my path forward until I gain the strength to overcome an obstacle. And that also means that some of my once difficult foes can be a showcase for my experience.

Areas aren’t blocked, they’re turned into goals for me to overcome. Yes, I should have a choice in how I explore the world, but having limits gives you something to break through.