Attributes do matter, but not with spell damage, rather with your magic resistance, and your mana points (for a mage-type character), and your health. This system works without the usual classes (warrior, mage, rogue...), so the system is a bit different. You have unlimited access to all skills, as there is no class.
After all, why should Intelligence add damage to your spells ? Fire doesn't get hotter because you are more intelligent (for a fireball spell). Here you specialize in some spells instead, the "updates" are simply a better version of a spell, the equivalent of maxing intelligence (different system again).
You put many points in one spell, which is equivalent to "I concentrate on that spell to maximise it's effect, let's forget the other spells, I'll learn them later".
Creatures have values, you just don't have access to them (outside of level).
I aggree with the too-easy part, they just added a new difficulty to FoV and DKS.
Try the Gothic series or Risen, you even have less information than in Divinity on items and stats or opponents, but it's still a RPG.
And again, Baldur's Gate games are great RPGs, but use a complete different system than Divinity, it's like comparing Quake and Rainbow6 (I really do love that example).
