If they did that, gamers will needly complain about the linearity of the game.

But thats basically what you have with a lack of side quests.  

This thread should have been called the crippled world of modern rpg's. In regards to rpg's I completely agree but to call halo and gears of war unimaginative is completely ignorant of what those games have done for their respective genres. Another thing, Bioshock wasn't an RPG, its an FPS with an amazing art direction.

I take it you love Wii Sports, Wii Play and Wii Fit? Oh, and The Sims and the countless sports games by EA?

You get the point.

I pretty much agree with the OP. I never expected much from Fallout 3 but it really managed to fail my low expectations. There seems to be no actual choice and gameplay is boring. I haven't played very long but that's simply because of the flaws I mentioned. The same goes for several other games, too.

No, you do have side-quests just not a quest log. The 'game on rails' doesn´t fit. I don´t think it´s essential, a RPG can very well be built on the lack of needing grinding/stat-building side-quests.  Not that Fallout 3 can´t be beaten without those quests, since it´s a matter of good equipment and initial stats. I personally praise the lack of need of grinding. That and character development, characters with full-fledged personalities, a deep engaging story with good plot twists. A compelling combat is also a must, with a nice vast array of different enemies. Most RPGs don´t have these things this gen so far or haven´t developed these aspects enough.

You know, just checking his game collection could have assisted you with not putting your foot in your mouth. Wii Sports, The Sims 2 Castaway and Tiger Woods All Play 2009 are all in his collection along with other games that fill this criteria like MLB Power Pros, Brain Age and Big Brain Academy.

I think you completely missed my point.   I dont want grinding, stat building side quests.   I just want more side quests, no where did I say they have to be stat building or grinding.  Like Oblivion, you could finish the main quest in about 20 hours or do all of the side quests and spend upwards of 200 hrs doing so.  The side quests had nothin to do with the main quest but they were there in case i wanted something else to do.   Thats what I was hoping to get with Fallout 3, good main story, tons of side quests.   But I got a decent story and a very limited number of side quests.  I got every trophy for the game and only spent 80 hours doing so. 

I stopped reading after the first paragraph, at which point it was clear that the entire wall of text was an exercise in masturbatory self-indulgence.

Nothing wrong with that, mind you, but you'll excuse me if I don't want to watch while you satisfy your urges...

What I miss are the more turn-based RPGs like Buldar's Gate. I don't really care for the action oriented RPGs designed for the consoles. To me and I realize I'm probably a minority, the 3rd person shooter element of Mass Effect really detracts from an otherwise great game for me. Same with Jade Empire - hated the fighting. I guess I prefer more strategy than reflex action in my gameplay. Havn't tried Fallout 3 but I expect the same may hold true.

A Buldar's Gate style RPG on Wii would be amazing though, since you could (potentially) have 4 people playing simultaneously with 4 wiimotes acting as mouses.

The main flaw of Fallout 3 is that the game uses the 1st person shooter point of view which doesn't work well on Xbox 360 or PS3. Of course, as a PC game things are entirely different.