The concentration on hack & slash in CRPG's may not be because it's preferred by players, but because it's easier to program impressively. The AI's in games -- RPG or strategy -- are pretty weak at interacting with player characters. Talking to another great power in Civilization or to a monster in Temple of Elemental Evil is pretty much on the level of 1970s text based games -- we're only 1 or 2 steps beyond 1970s tech in the "talkie" aspects, but way way beyond in graphical horsepower to display exciting, fast combat (compare to Moria to see the difference in what's essentially the same idea of combat).
I don't play World of Warcraft, but I wonder if anyone is doing yakking on there? I suspect not with NPC's, but possibly with each other.
As for problem solving, I find that annoying in most computer games, as it's usually the same old problem -- get the McGuffin to go with the other McGuffin to open the door/get the prize. Yawn.
But I'm glad that computer RPG's are so limited . . . it gives us an excuse to keep playing the real thing!