linear games with character development

[Evnissyen]

...sigh...

...So, I'm looking high and low, now, for RPG games, like NWN2, that are strong on story, plot, and character development.

From what people say about Icewind Dale I & II (especially the first): these games don't seem to have it. Icewind Dale seems to be commonly described as a "dungeon crawler" or a "common hack & slash" . . . and the sequel as either "an improvement" or "a balance between Baldur's Gate & the original Icewind Dale" . . . neither of which I want. I don't want to play another Diablo, and I don't want to play any more games like Baldur's Gate where I have to be hyper-attentive to every weak spellcaster in order to save them, just in the nick of time, from getting slaughtered, and where all my characters do is wander around aimlessly looking for something to do.

...Of course: granted I've only just gotten a little ways into Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast . . . but that's my impression of it so far.

I've heard/read great things about The Witcher, and I'm interested in playing it, but... it won't work with my Intel chipset.

Anybody have any ideas? How many really good RPG games are out there that have good stories, a cohesive, driving plot and character development which don't skimp on the juicy fighting to make sure it's just that much more fun? (In other words: adventure games aside: we're talking RPG here.)