Certainly I feel some of the critical hits that lead to deaths could be more varied. Backstab could be a nice knife plant between the ribs or a slit throat... it doesn't have to be overtly graphic, but yeah I kinda suppot the OP here that Death shouldn't be sanitized. Heck some of the spell deaths are a little toasty grim, lol
Ah, yes. I'd say an "appropriate" level of gore should be implemented; so a backstab would be subtle and a killing blow with a greatsword - quite spectacular. Falling to bits after being gently bonked with a quarterstaff would be bad too.
As a side note, while I'm 100% on board with gore, a toggle for "bloody mess" would be welcome (and I think quite easily implemented).
(I like the current crispy spell crits... and the combat log: "Bugbear saw the light" on Guiding Bolt kill.)