This and at least so far with one little exception you cannot really move left, right or back only forwards (the exception being a secret in third stage, mentioned several times on this thread with an ingame hint at the market of the third map - just have to talk to the people there).
And when/ if more free movement actually becomes a thing on future maps, I hope we get an actual map of the zone with the spots we have been to on the grid. Or alternatively it has more of a branching path nature, where the path may split left and right and you can choose which direction you go with at least some different enemies on each path. Maybe we go through a school and after wandering the halls long enough we could go the "sports" direction with physically fit girls or the "nerd" direction with more "special resistant" enemies, so depending on your loadout and fetishes you could choose a path that's easier to handle or maybe just throw Alex into the deep end for your own amusement
. That would also open possibilities for "fake paths" or traps that players may fall into. And to extent onto that it could be important to collect a certain item, prepare certain ressources/ skill orbs or just get a hint from npcs to avoid the trap.