IGN - It's How You Say It, Part 1

I'm surprised to find this at IGN...It's How You Say It posits the RPG genre has failed to innovate dialogue and then looks at several large titles such as Fable II, Oblivion, Mass Effect and Rise of the Argonauts.  Here's the intro:

Amidst this marketing cyclone, one genre seems to be falling behind the pack when it comes to examining its own, some would say stale, conventions. The RPG, whilst arguably the most complex of game types, seems rather content to mosey along, repeating itself ad nauseam, with few serious attempts to change – or at the very least examine – its most important gameplay element. We are, of course, referring to conversation, or more specifically conversation interfaces.