I like it for a different reason, and that is it reminds you to be careful. In Divinity, Gothic, Elder Scrolls, and The Witcher 2, you don't just go around town waving your sword around talking to people. They could get hurt, or be threatened. There are also consequences if you persist in threatening and attacking people.
It makes NPC's into real, mortal denizens of the game world and not just little talking environmental fixtures that give quests. It also makes your benevolence towards them mean more.
I agree! While I play games to escape the "real world" to some extent, there are some aspects of realism in games that make the gaming experience that much more satisfying.
