>Why do you keep comparing it to another genre?
because pre-release the developers made the GTA comparison, every video game media outlet made the comparison, and every press piece regarding the game pre-release focused on the 'open-world' elements, while promising post-release multiplayer.
let's not pretend this was billed as a single-player RPG fantasy; it wasn't. It was toted as a GTA competitor in nearly every single way.
The post release narrative shift of "well it's a story-driven game from a well known story-driven 'RPG studio', it was YOUR expectations that were wrong! " was totally drawn hastily after release to try to assuage angry and disappointed fans during a rocky release.
aside : "rpg studio" is a thing now?
Because I never really got the impression I was playing an RPG ever since I made a choice but was then immediately funnelled into the same path as everyone else
This how all their RPGs (and most others) work.
You really would not want to compare it to Skyrim/Fallout either. The atmosphere ... is just not there.
Why do you keep comparing it to another genre?