If you count the underwater environs, then FFVII would actually be quite a good example of a world map. It's got one map, with a traversable smaller map which is useful in a couple situations. Because of the single map, the developers could add hidden secrets on the map, like the materia caves, that mythril man and the KoTR island. I loved VII's world map. And even with a huge meteor about to impact on you, you could still roam around doing stuff.
The main reason why I didn't like FFVIII's map is that after time compression you basically can't do anything. You're trapped. XIII also did this by making sure you could never get back to the locales in Chapter's one to ten. I liked the Sunleth Waterscape!