The problem with those other genres is, they're largely action games. That's great if you like action games, but there are lots of people who would like to experience a story in video game format who aren't twitch gamers, and get frustrated trying to play them.
Like my Mom. As predicted, she couldn't finish Dreamfall because the action sequences and such were too difficult for her to work out. And yes, I know the action sequences in that game were not a good example of what action games have to offer, but that misses the point. More responsive action isn't the solution for people who simply aren't that dexterous, or who have arthritis and such.
Finally, though, and most importantly, Adventure Games have a pedestrian pace, which suits certain personality types much better than high octane action games and shooters.
I say all of this because I'm beginning to detect a bit of an elitist tone to these arguments in favour of other genres. Fine. They tell stories too. Some of them very well. But they all involve button mashing or complex combinations of buttons in timed sequences. Again, fine if you're into that, but it doesn't make the game better for people who don't get off on such things.
My point is, Adventure Games are the closest you come to playing a genre where the story pace is very much like reading a book, which is quite acceptable, so long as it doesn't crawl from inactivity.
As for the argument against hotspot comments, well, I can see where the notion that the convention is merely nostalgic and obsolete might come from, but I think the key factor being missed there is that those comments, when written well, are a form of communication between the protagonist and the player, sharing character traits. It's a way of getting to know the person you're playing.
This might not seem relevant to someone accustomed to playing action games or shooters or such, as those games are largely plot-driven, and superfluous comments tend to be throwaway, having no meaning, like James Bond's famous quips after he kills someone. In the original novels, those comments were very telling of the man's mental state, but on the lips of Roger Moore, they just sound silly. That's where the problem lies. If the comments tell us something about the object, that's nice. but it's what they tell us about the person we're playing that makes them indispensable.
And personally, I enjoy a combination of close-ups with comments, when possible.
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