Regarding linear maps: I don't like this. Of course, I don't like FFXII completely either, as the maps feel too open. I liked things more similar to VII, where you have to figure your way around. With X, there was only one real way to go - forward. With XII, you could go in every direction all the time (at least for the most part). However, in VII you would find relatively small maps which, despite their low size, required you to actually think. This is what I find both X and XII lacked - making people think about where they're going (well, sometimes XII made you think, but only because you were lost, and that was more often than not due to the sheer size of the thing). So yeah. Hopefully there will be at least something to do on these maps aside from progress to the next fight.