You know, back then, I had as much fun playing games like Contra, and games like Dragon Quest...

Things are no different now.

They are two totally different types of games and it's the creative direction that makes each stand out. You can't really caneed compare a style of story progression to entire genres of games. So the the only appropriate comparison is linear to sandbox. I like both.

Well, really open world and linear doesn't even address depth of gameplay. George Weidman of Super Bunnyhop once put it similarly to this: If games like Skyrim are an entire ocean the depth of a kiddie pool, then games like Metal Gear Solid 3 are the depth and size of one Mariana trench.

It's completely unrelated to the comparison then.

It falls in the cathegory of being freaking amazing cause it manages to tell a compelling story with well built characters while giving you a living breathing world that fits perfectly to the background and the characters to play on. I think that of the Last of Us too, just cause its linear it doesnt mean it doesnt manage to build a world thats super imersive while giving you interesting characters that compell you to see the story trough, the games just use different tools to achiev excelency.

You can't really just ask if people like linear or open, and base it off of one game.

That's like asking people if they go to mcdonalds because they enjoy small menus. I mean, yeah sure it depends. A little variety is great, sometimes....for instance at a 5 star restaurant where there's only three things on the menu but each one of them is incredible. And there's other times when being able to pick your comfort food out of a huge menu is better.

Lemme return to the subject though. While the last of us, IS a very linear game...what it offers in terms of gameplay, narrative, and style offsets that IMO. Now, compare this to a game like ff13, where the gameplay was weaker than most ff entries, had good style and narrative, but because the gameplay was weak, the linearity really just compounded a certain blah that the game had, which made me feel like the only point in fighting all these battles (which at times were tedious) was to advance the story, which, I mean, I liked it, but yeah. I didn't finish 13.

I would then go even further and say compare it to a game like elder scrolls where I just can't stand the narrative, that game is just talk talk talk talk talk. And while the gameplay is somewhat interesting, there is nothing really keeping me around because it's TOO open. I look in every direction and think, that gameplay over there is the same gameplay as over there, and back there, and to the left as well. I just don't really see a point in continuing because without narrative that I enjoy, and addictive gameplay, open-world means nothing to me.

Fallout has a similar problem to me as the above, but the style is more appealing, and the narrative a bit more interesting.

WoW on the other hand does a great job and giving you so much in story, style, gameplay, addictiveness, etc.

In closing-

Sometimes linearity is good.
Sometimes open world is good.
And sometimes both are bad.
It depends on the game.

EDIT: Sorry if that was really lengthy, but I got a mechanical keyboard for xmas and the buttons just sound so fucking sexy I could type for pages and pages.

Honestly i play any type of game as long as the game is good and enjoyable.
I'm not a picky gamer like most people are these days and thats what i pride myself over because i get to experience and enjoy all sorts of amazing games and i wont miss out on it. Doesnt matter whether the game is open world, linear, fps, rpg, or even a sports game to me because i'll still play but just as long the game is good.
But right now i feel burnt from all the massive open world games especially recently for me with having played dragon age inquisition, witcher 3, fallout 4, and soon mgsv. So right now i wanna enjoy and appreciate linear games like Uncharted 4.

For me, I prefer more cartoony, anime-ish games, but really anything goes for a great game, as long as it is fun and well designed. Anything can be great if designed well O:

I prefer a linear game with a well-tailored difficulty curve.

I like both, but when a game tries to do both at the same time (GTA linear scripted missions, Witcher 3 linear scripted story segments) it takes some away from the game.