Because sadly Obsidian gets lauded for this junk by people who don't know much themselves.
Most of pillars, Kotor 2 and several other games are drivel based on half remembered philosophy 101 classes.
Unfortunately, its largely new material to the critics and general audience, so gets an 'oh, wow' reaction.
I had that response to planescape torment when I was in my teens. Replaying it in college, I was less impressed, having been introduced to the full version of those concepts. Replaying it as a full adult, I'm a little contemptuous of how badly basic concepts were handled.
Its the same here, obsidian is struggling to reprise/reinvent concepts they don't even vaguely grasp.
I half-agree with you on the P:T note, but you are spot on here. Unfortunately, that is simply how reactions work. Take Christopher Nolan for example. A painfully average film maker (like pretty much everyone in Hollywood), but gets acclaimed because he markets slightly intelligent ideas to the mainstream. Still like the Dark Knight though