Gotta agree with the hatred for the first NWN game. What kind of sense it makes to take a system designed for party based play and try to create the next Diablo out of it, I don't know. Add in a bland plot (Generous description I know) and so many glitches that it was almost more bug than game... I completed it once just because, but I doubt I'll ever play it again. Just a bad game from the design stage on.
Two of the three points you touched are far more valid for The Witcher than they are for NWN (system designed for party - based play / Witcher has no companions/pets; and Witcher had a lot more bugs than NWN (I never had one single bug in it, personally)).
I take it you think the Witcher is a bad game also?
