Yeah, this.
It really shows when the developer treats the npcs in their game as disposable. Having encounters with enemy adventuring parties, for instance, only makes the setting more believable. Surely you aren't the only band of mercenaries or heroes? Otherwise there'd probably be laws in place to crack down on this one homicidal band of vigilantes murdering and looting their way through the country-side.
Like, if you're an evil party and your infamy starts to grow; shouldn't you eventually run into an organised squad of do-gooders intent on putting you to rights? Shouldn't be too hard to create an insular random encounter like that, which makes checks based on your game-state before triggering and helps create the illusion of the game reacting to your presence.
Personally I hate special pro-noun player characters.
.... Nah, not trannys; but like, 'the inquisitor,' and all that, that makes it easier for the voice-overs.
Maybe that was a clever solution to having name-able characters with voice-over the first time you did it; but every-time after that you just rail-roaded you story into anointed one rubbish that gets flimsier with each successive re-tread. Even more so because it means you have to introduce the concept early otherwise you've got a bunch of people in the studio going
But what do i caaaall you!?! or going to great lengths to imply they are talking in your direction without actually saying it.
... Mostly just Bioware games I guess.
While I'm on the topic, gamey box-rooms which you're trapped inside of until you've defeated exactly four waves of the same respawning 3x machine gun soldier, 2x armoured shotgun guy, 1x magic alien/bigger robot or whatever. I haven't even played DooM yet because of that and i figure the level design there is a lot better than your typical rpg team will deliver. I don't think all those polygons are worth the detriments to level design and player agency.