In my case, it was a Conan-themed game that looked beautiful, was fun to play, and allowed for a lot of creativity.
Since you’re here, and have been for over five years, I can only assume that you’re part of that “specific audience” too. The game had something that drew you in and kept you playing. You and I both, it’s clear that back then we didn’t go all Eeyore “why bother?” because we knew the game was going to crash and burn. And because we’re still here, there’s still something that keeps bringing us back.