I'd recommend Darklands for consideration, though it's very likely that it's not what a lot of people would be looking for. The reason I recommend it is because it's exactly what a lot of other people are looking for. The chargen is still one of my favorites, the openness of the world (while still having a main storyline) managed to work well without being overwhelming or full of empty space, the folklore and medieval religious belief elements are well-researched and engaging, and the party and equipment management aren't annoying.
The game was made by Microprose in 1992, so expect pixelated graphics and isomorphic perspective; but the scripted environment interactions (which inspired Pillars of Eternity to use a similar approach) are still beautiful.