There have been 93472598 threads about this in the last week. Seriously, play Baldur's Gate 2. It's the father of the modern RPG; it has a fantastic story, great characters, colorful graphics and incredible artwork. It has a few of the traditional RPG elements, including the ones you labeled "usual cliches," but you will not find a real RPG without those elements - or any kind of fantasy novel or fantasy videogame for that matter. To better gain an appreciation for the genre, you need to play its crown jewel, which is Baldur's Gate II. The first couple hours in the dungeon are not very exciting, but if you muscle through that (use a guide), you will have the world to explore. Trust me, once you get into this game with the correct mindset (i.e., "this game is awesome, I am in the mood for RPGs, and I can't wait to find out what happens next!"), you will not need another RPG or another game for weeks, maybe even months if you complete all the side quests.
You simply cannot go wrong with Baldur's Gate II. Even better, once you've beaten it there is Throne of Baal, and after that, you might play its predecessor or try out other Infinity Engine games such as the Icewind Dale series (the second one is better). Planescape: Torment is very good, but I would highly suggest playing BGII first so you can begin to appreciate the genre and get a handle on the gameplay - Planescape is a dark game. Also after BGII, try Temple of Elemental Evil, or if you're in the mood for a very slow game, try Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor.
Really though, take our advice about Baldur's Gate II. I am fully aware that it's hard to get into at first, but once you play it, you will regret waiting so long.
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