KOTOR is RPG/Action. It has a lot of RPG - the D&D system, interacting with ppl, multiple ways of solving quests, good and light side etc. Simply put the RPG element is pretty strong but it's true that it's a game "dumbed" down and made for a broader market, which doesn't necessarily make it any worse a game.
Baldur's Gate, especially BG1 (not as linear as BG2), is not a dumbed down game for the masses. This is pretty much classic RPG as it was invented for the PC. My guess is that you didn't play the games enough.
