I completely agree. Aside from a few key commands which newcomers need to be made aware of - LOOK, INVENTORY, TAKE, DROP and the cardinal directions - playing a parser game is as simple as understanding the syntax VERB NOUN. That’s it. It’s hardly rocket science. I first discovered parser games aged 13, and I don’t remember having any difficulty learning the ropes. I introduced my nephew Max to them aged 8, and he got the idea almost immediately.
It’s true that a lot of games players don’t like to read, and an even greater number don’t like to type. A flashy interface is probably not going to make any difference to those people, and let’s face it - they’re not our target audience. Parser IF is niche, it always has been and always will be.