I agree, check out this well done video explaining how just 1 example of a quest plays out in the original Baldurs Gate, and how dialog choices are yours to make, not the Dice in this video:
I like the video. I think, overall, it is under appreciated how BG1&2 delivers its quest - games can feel chaotic and unpredictable but have this organic feel and still are secretly convenient (aka. You won’t miss anything major). It avoids artificiality of modern design, while not being obtuse as, let’s say Kingmaker.
Well, my most unpredictable moment in BG2 was running into Arkanis Gath, so I can't say I agree. The "game doesn't stop you from doing things" is not quite true, because that was a cheated character wielding an "instakill" weapon. At least the reputation system mentioned in the video you could influence, even if the temple donations system didn't make any sense.
It's also showcases how BG2 went back on some good design from BG1. Nalia's castle is the only time you can use charm to talk to an NPC, while in BG1 you could find many tidbits of lore by charming people.
