Of course you have the liberty to like any type of game you like. Obviously, you already have a zillion options when you don't like a sandbox (I prefer the term "open world") game since 99% of games ARE scripted.
However, I *know* that I am on the right track with my "ultimate idea of a open-world game"...how do I know? Because some of the MOST successful games in history are open-world games. (GTA, Sim City, WoW [sort of], Far Cry 3 etc..etc..). Open World = More Freedom, More Options etc...