I think it was the stylization. Everything looks hand drawn, like the old AD&D books of the 80s. Had they used modern graphics at the time, it would look dated;

I think it was the stylization. Everything looks hand drawn, like the old AD&D books of the 80s. Had they used modern graphics at the time, it would look dated; instead they used art that has more staying power. Also, I think the fun of the game helped endear the zones. If the game was terrible, the game (and therefore the zones) would be much less memorable.