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How many ways are there to skin the FPS cat?

Option 1. One path without loops and without backtracking
Go from A to G through B, C, D, E, F while busting kneecaps and taking names.
Example: HL2

Option 2. One path with loops and backtracking
Go from A to G through B, C, B, C, D, F and then back from G to A while busting kneecaps and taking names.
Example: M:M 3

Option 3. Multiple independent, mutually exclusive paths
Go from A to G through B or C or D or E or F while busting kneecaps etc.
Example: ?

Option 4. Multiple grouped paths
Go from A to G through B and C or D and E and F while busting kneecaps etc.
Example: The Witcher (you'll see when you play it)

Option 5. Sandbox
Go from A to G through any combination of B, C, D, E and F.
Example: Fallout, GTA

Do you see other options?

Dagda, Bill, the lockdown idea is still very linear. See Option 1 or Option 2 in my post. The fact that you can solve it using different tactics (stealth, releasing headcrabs, blowing up holes in walls) doesn't change the overall nature of the adventure.

For an actual non-linear game, we'd need to abandon any idea of path and predetermined areas to unlock apart from the starting point and the arrival point (which can actually be a condition, such as the number of kills or the destruction of a target. See the way Achievements work in EP2).

To draw heavily on RPGs, Option 5 (sandbox) requires:

1. Fully accessible playing area or rather an area which would be accessible to a non-HEV enhanced NPC with an axe. That means that all normal doors can be broken down, all normal windows can be broken, all fences can be climbed, etc. Access to other areas may require jump-fu, puzzles, etc.

2. Random encounters: depending on the area, health/ammo level of the player, the game generates a set of enemies which spawn at a given distance. The radar function is a superb tool to use with this. See the AvP series. The only benefit is to keep the player alert, eat away his resources and keep him on the move.

3. Non-essential set/scripted encounters: these would be the side quests/treks which would provide the player with data (brilliant idea with the watchtowers), gear and allies (Rebels pinned down at a barricade would be most glad to have the player flank the Combine and then would assign him a couple of squaddies). The player has the option to tackle the encounter or not, but he should always have the possibility to avoid it.

4. Multiple levels of victory: from barely surviving the map (avoiding all enemies, taking the quickest, shortest route) to cleaning the entire area from the Combine and saving all the post-apocalyptic kittens stuck in all the mutated trees, with any number of intermediate levels of success.
Gaining story elements from the non-essential set/scripted encounters would be high in the victory conditions list.

5. Absence of essential encounters or of NPCs who must survive:
This takes the non-linear idea further, to the point of total freedom. Alyx dies, but you can beat the game.