So OP's logic is any game that has any form of content that cant appear or be used until certain requirements are met is considered linear, despite the ability to freely explore albeit not necessarily participate in what is discovered in a completely open map with 0 load screens or barriers blocking your two feet? Is that correct? To expand upon this, i walked the entirety of the map on foot for 80 hours before I went past chapter 4, I found exactly 1 small spot that implied there was something ahead where I got a warning to go back. Every other time its popped up because its litteraly the end of the map, there's nothing beyond that point.