By the same logic, most games aside from sim-games and racing games are also adventure games, since your character goes on an adventure in the game world, even if your adventure involves blowing aliens up with rocket launchers and your character is a called Duke Nukem.

Literal-mindedness can go all sorts of ways.

I did say 'put that serious face away' did I not?

My opinion:
Your decisions have to alter the progression of the game.

Therefore even "Monster loves you" for Android which is mostly an interactive book is more of a role playing game to me than most modern "action RPGs" which are just beat-'em-ups like Final Fight with a leveling system.

Games like "Planescape: Torment" and "Inquisitor" are the crème de la crème of course.

Well... do you just assume the role (like the Doom space marine), or do you really play the role, like - get into character?