Dayyālu
Arcane
That's not his idea, it's what he says other people think.
Yes, he does not share it: but it's the first time I've seen the specific theory that Crusader was good=Ultima VIII could have been good. There are of course the contrarians that will argue that it was good because contrarians, but it's the first time I see such a comparison. Crusader was the brainchild of Zurovek, a Dread Pirate Roberts creature (and nowadays employed on Scam Citizen as far as I can remember).
Personally I think U8 could have been a good game even as some sort of action-RPG retooling of the series, but it would have required long-term commitment and a vision that Garriott clearly didn't have.
So, Divine Divinity or a more open Diablo?
I like VII, but I seriously doubt British had good ideas on how developing a good action RPG, the combat in VII is mediocre as it gets.