I also think people underestimate how foreign JRPG-style games are to many of the people picking it up. A few months ago I was talking to my cousin and his friend about it, and through that conversation I learned that these guys my age (late 20s) could not wrap their minds around turn based combat.

I agree, but I'll add that I don't think it's "safe" in the same way that a Sony 1st party sequel is. It's the "safe" GOTY pick in the sense that it's beloved by various groups of people. I've seen everyone from casual gamers to hardcore JRPG nerds gushing over it, which is extremely hard to do.

Just a few:

Silent Hill: Downpour (did not like it)
Golden Light (some weird design decisions but cool game)
BW: Dead Man's Promise (solid DLC)
Faith (great, unique game)
VTMB (replay as Malk, highly recommend)
Amnesia: The Bunker (fantastic)
Darkwood (cool game, didnt vibe with gameplay loop)

"Proof that a game doesn't have to be good to be great" is the best description of Drakengard I've ever seen.