pretty much going off topic but Wormerine idk, there might be a lot of work in PoEs cultures but none of that looks like somethign i havent seen already.
I think it very much depends on what you want from fantasy world. PoEs world isn't very "fantastical" - you may like it, or dislike, that's very much Josh's sensibility and not a good or bad thing in itself, even if it may enhance or detract from ones enjoyment.
What made me fall in love with Dune's world wasn't how cool or imaginative the setting was, but how believably and wellthoughout it was - the influence of the enviroment on the culture. How would people living on such planet behave - how different their values and greeting would be? PoEs cultures are never appealing at first but they grow on me - I didn't love Dyrwood until I understood its history and it's ramification on current events. I don't think Huana were initially interesting, but how different effect on them Leaden Key's influence had was a revelation. And having to weight consequences of putting in power one of four, disctinct, well developed ideologies was a compelling character choice to make. And that's all coming back to central conflict of the game - humanity's uncertainty of existence, and whenever they need an authority figures to reign over them. Having to place each character I create within that conflict is... interesting. I sometimes find my characters having to make a decision I wouldn't expect. I felt the way PoE setting encourages roleplaying is exceptional, even if package isn't particularly enticing at first. That kind of involvement with the setting, as well as navigation of where my character would fit in that setting is what makes it so much more compelling to me then D:OS.
As far as world-building high-point of D:OS2 for me was witnessing burial ceremony of elfs. But those moment are few and far between and have little impact on the overall game or character development or expression.
I think here is the best explenation as to why I think PoE one of the best worldbulding in recent memory. You can't take characters out of PoE and have them work in another setting - who they are, how they view thing, what their goals are, they way they are tried is unseperately connected to the world and the conflict that surrounds them. To understand your companions you need to understand the world they live in, and through your companions you understand the world. That's why PoEs1 ending worked so very very well to me - the implication the revelation had on my companions personal conflicts was profound.
