I think the best thing to do, assuming adult players at least, is be very up front about how things are going to play out - ie where the dial of sandboxyness is going to be turned to - and make sure everyone is on board for that. Set expectations. If everyone wants a sandbox and you don’t want to run a sandbox, then you probably should all do something different.
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The discussion on this topic has inspired me to write something up that feels very related: Why I love Dark Depths
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Is it basically a Detroit: Become Human approach?
I mean, you have a series of scenes that you can either check or totally according to your choices and curiosity. According to your actions, you unlock further scenes or change the options in the following ones. Environment and sandbox interaction could be present but limited – it’s not the point of that experience. (Of course, in your description characters can go back and forth, there is less linearity; but, it’s the best analogy I’ve found.)
This is sort of similar to how I’ve run Trophy Dark - the players press ever onward into the dark forest, coming to challenge after challenge, until they finally reach the center Ring and everything comes to a head.
Yes, but also no. In what I’m proposing, there’s no need for the GM to look up the consequences of each scene. Ideally there wouldn’t be a flow chart. I’ve seen other adventures that do that and it seems too stocky for an RPG.
I remember seeing an GMTK video on this game though, is that right?
Another reminder to read this game. I’ll check it out!
STOP THE PRESSES.
This would be an amazing community project. Imagine:
Someone comes to the forum with the premise, first scene, and last scene. Each participant then builds one or more scenes that fits the context each with challenges, allies, and rewards of their own. It’s compiled as a zine. Boom.
We may need a separate thread for the creation process. I’m more than happy to continue talking theory over here.
How about this for a first attempt: Players have worked up an incredible debt in a labyrinthine casino. They’re on the escape from the owner (some twisted Willy Wonka-esque character) who keeps calling for their capture over the loudspeaker. Players navigate the gambling house/mansion while avoiding guards, bounty hunters, money monsters, and cameras. It’s like a reverse heist. 
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It seems a fun idea. How you would arrange it? Will you use a shared Google doc?
I remember seeing an GMTK video on this game though, is that right?
Yes, there was a documentary or something somewhere about how they developed all the story options.
I recommend checking as well Witchburner by Luka Rejec. It has a scene based structure, it could be of inspiration.
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Google doc could work, but I was thinking to just start another thread under “Making” and go from there. 
I might suggest starting with something more generic than a casino so that more people might be interested in contributing. A big forest or a Wild West, perhaps.
Woods are good. Have some spark tables for that already.
Should we make a fairy forest adventure for @yochaigal Cairn? We could leverage the “don’t leave the path!” trope ala The Hobbit to great effect here, methinks.
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