I agree with you. They should keep this design for the remake, just make it much prettier. While I don't have a problem with FFXII's open-feeling map design and exploration, I don't think it would work at all with FFVII.You actually have to be able to explore it, yes. Vs. the FFX style of "here's a list, you teleport wherever you want to go" nonsense.
Ni No Kuni did a great job providing that same feeling of a big explorable world but in the HD era.