Metaphor Re Fantasio

Hello everyone, I've spent 2-3 hours in this game and I'm hoping someone explains why this got game of the year. So far I have a fairy (basically Navi as she never shuts up), I can control 1/3 of my party, and basically watch the computer make terrible decisions and get itself, and me by extension, killed. Seriously if my character dies I just watch the computer play with itself until I have to restart or the fight is won, how is this fun? It has the most 90s anime tropes (the king is assinated, get vengeance, also everyone is racist), I really have no investment. Can someone tell me why this is so amazing please? Does it get better, is the combat always this simple? Please help me love this game.