Not being a franchise fan so I've never played a FF title other this XIV, how does XVI compare to the previous games when it comes to main story and zone design?

If it's more or less the same as what franchise fans expect in those aspects (I know that the real time combat is a break away from the usual turn based combat), then I don't see why you're complaining.

Also, not every game needs to be a massive open world sandbox to explore on top of the story focused content. Sure, I loved most of the single player Elder Scrolls titles when it comes to being able to explore the world (Daggerfall was annoying) but that doesn't mean I want every RPG I play to be like them.

The important question is whether players are enjoying a game for what it is rather than nitpick over what it isn't.