Similarly, despite being vast, the level design is intuitive enough that you can't simply run through them without thought. These vast open maps allow you to take different paths, try other tactics and play the game the way you enjoy. Knives to the back result in a one-hit kill, incentivizing flanking unaware opponents this stealth approach is accompanied by a visibility meter so you can see whether or not you are visible.
A blazing guns approach might be fun, but a difficult one to pull off successfully as the AI are crack shots regardless of range.
You can go in guns blazing from the start or take a stealthy approach. 2: Covert Strike breaks the mold by creating vast open maps to tackle how you want. It would not be unreasonable to assume that, as a first-person shooter, you'd be placed on a linear path to the end of each mission.