There is no chance it wasn’t meant to be an open world. The witcher 3 was a very successful open world they made.

Also, CP77 actually is in the style of elden ring that was praised for it, but CP77 came long before it. Most critiques of CP77 missed that part because the game doesn’t throw it at your face.

I wish it was, but it isn’t. It usually about them being able to ban you from playing for whatever reason they deem worthy.

Horse archers, or skirmishing units in general, are countered by archers or siege units. Unless the game is wildly unbalanced it always works.