Both types have their place and there are games that are heavy one way or another that I love. If I had to pin down my favorites, though, it would be somewhat open games that have a linear and engaging storyline that you can participate in when you so desire. Fallout 3/NV and Dragon Age O/2 are good example. Love those franchises to pieces and both are among the few on my "Day One" list. Games like Valkyria Chronicles and Final Fantasy Tactics also quality, as you can have battles over and over before you decide to push forward with the story.
"Now, you could say that the Final Fantasy franchise since VII wasn't really known for being very open, but they never went to XIII's level of linearity."
That line kind of puzzles me, though. FF VII was one of the most linear RPGs I've ever played and also one of the most popular. In all honesty, a lot of RPGs were highly linear, they just masked it with the illusion of choice. You might have a maze-style dungeon but there is still one entrance and one exit. Towns might be open but there is nothing to do until certain events are triggered. I do agree that people don't want new and different with Final Fantasy, though; they mainly just want a FF VII rehash. As most of the people who play Final Fantasy aren't RPG fans, it's better to just give them what they want and rake in the dollars.
