I loved the open access of Baldur's Gate. I still remember my first time going into Thalantyr's little magic keep outside Beregost and thinking, "Oh, he's got some good items here! I will have to come back later when I have some money." And Beregost itself always felt like coming home, with lots of background noise and chatter, several townsfolk going about their business, etc. It was always a good place to rest and sell off some items. Every house in Beregost had a door and then something inside, unlike the lonely streets of Neverwinter. Certain quests required returning to the town, even very late in the game ... why waste resources on a new setting for every single quest?. Open access to key areas gives a sense of belonging and permanence to the fantasy setting, and I think we humans all feel that kind of connection to a place once in a while ... it's good to come back to familiarity after long outings in the Underdark, sewers, and pocket planes. To quote Pink Floyd, "When I come home, cold and tired, it's good to warm my bones beside the fire."
