I don't think FF needs to be extremely open world. They could make the next one with smaller hub areas, but the main thing that irks me about JRPG's is their NPC's being so static and robotic, like they are always happy/giddy, even in the face of impending doom, while others display that "I don't care, I'm the cool guy". I know the West has their own stereotypes and tropes, just Japan and JRPG's are simply oozing with them, and I feel like they need to tone them back a bit, really work on some interesting NPC's that will seek you out, stuff like Witcher series does, as well as Skyrim with radiant quests and radiant NPC's.
That said, I'd still love for the next FF to be real time combat, but more refined and varied (yes it can be done).
Mankind, in its arrogance and self-delusion, must believe they are the mirrors to God in both their image and their power. If something shatters that mirror, then it must be totally destroyed.
