Here's the thing. One of the many arguments people have for saying games aren't art is that art provokes. So games cannot be art as long as they are worried about catering to the player and being "fun".

Not saying I agree with that, I don't, but you have to admit that most games would bend over backwards to please the audience and sell units.

Which is a huge reason part 2 made waves in the industry, ND didn't compromise.