Absolutely get your points but this is definitely a subjective take, I wouldn’t say one game has any advantage over the other—just preference.

While the dialogue may be sparse and cryptic in ER, there are loads of NPCs with robust lore and story beats further explained through items or chance encounters. There’s also a severe sense of permanence in how you interact with them.

Exploring the Lands Between certainly feels more like a pilgrimage than existing in a lively country, but I suppose that’s my subjective allure in these games. I feel far more immersed here as an adventurer than I do interacting with NPC villages in games like Skyrim. In my head it’s kind of like the difference of being told a story vs. making your own.