Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is this a "classical" style RPG or an open-ended "Oblivion-like" RPG?

I've finally gotten into playing this game, so I thought I'd post a few thoughts. PLEASE NO SPOILERS!!!

Stuff I like:

--I love the rich lore of the game. A deep storyline, particularly one that extends beyond the scope of the gameplay itself always makes for a better game. You feel like you're just playing a small role in a universe that's bigger than you are.
--The combat is quite fun, and I enjoy setting up my tactics and rearranging them on the fly
--Great voice acting
--Good variety in weapons/armor and combat style choices

Stuff I don't like (or at least am still getting used to):

--It doesn't seem like level grinding is meant to be a big part of this game. Some people might like that, but I usually enjoy the process of strengthening my characters through grinding.
--This goes along with the above point, but I have found that I seem to be under-leveled for where I'm at in the game. I've reached an impasse where I keep getting my ass kicked, and I believe it's because my characters simply aren't strong enough. I've come to realize that you really NEED to do the side-quests in order to level up
--The tactics system isn't flawless. My characters don't always do what they're supposed to be doing.
--There isn't really a "world map" as in most RPG's. You just kind of select a location you want to go to and you're sent there. Sometimes a random encounter is triggered, sometimes not.


So while it looks like I've posted more negatives than positives, that's not really a true assessment of how I feel about the game. I am enjoying it very much. It's just not exactly what I was expecting in some ways. I think I'll come to accept some of these negatives as I progress, and they won't bother me anymore.