That's just how old styles JRPGs work, I personally don't mind them all that much, but I do understand why some people find them annoying.
In SMT IV I find extremely easy to avoid enemies in open areas, although it is practically impossible to avoid them in the world map, don't really mind this because I think those battles are easier than the ones in the open world, so they go extremely quickly (to the point where in some of them I auto attack).
I do admit that I generally don't like playing more than 1 JRPG at time, and after I beat one I quickly move to another genre, but I do this with every game. I rarely play a sequel right after I finish the first game because (if the gameplay is the same) I get bored very quickly. I like to take a rest between similar games.
Nintendo and PC gamer
