It's just not open world

Sure there's some big plains or meadowlands (limgrave or altus...) but everything else is it's own thing cut from the rest, just as previous souls; seperate maps linked with huge elevators/ladders and caves.

the map has been more confusing then helpful, in order to go to a place near me, I have to go all the way across the map in the opposite direction I want to reach to some hidden path/cave/ladder... and progress in a very linear way to somehow find myself in the entrance of the place I wanted to reach which is completly disconnected from the rest and seperated from surroundings by uncrossable cliffs/godly elevators/portals...

this aspect has been so obvious for me while playing the DLC, and when I checked Elden Ring's maps using Smithbox tool. Definetly not a seamless open world.