Mass Effect: Open World Vs Linear

Open world doesn't mean the game isn't linear. Open world just means that the level is big. That's all it is.

Inquisition was quite linear, Skyrim is not. That's because Skyrim is an open world sandbox. The operative word is sandbox, meaning you can pretty much do whatever you want and not be beholden to the narrative completely for progression. GTA is a sandbox due to the variety of side activities that you can do and what you can achieve without really progressing the story. MGS5 is open world, because even though there's a focus on infiltrating areas for your missions and doing them as you see fit, the bits in between those missions are quite linear.

Final Fantasy 7 with bigger hubs that you could run around in wouldn't be open world just because the hubs are bigger, nor is it open world because you could freely explore the world map; everything about that game is about getting you toward the next beat in the story. Dragon Age Inquisition, Mass Effect Andromeda, and RPGs like them are pretty much a refinement of what JRPGs like FF7/FF8, Breath of Fire, Suikoden, and so on tried to achieve or spoof via their world map linked hub locations, except with better technology to make places actually the size they look in the game.