Exploration and consequences. Also, kiting.
1. Exploration. Back in my day, you didn't have a map with a little cursor showing where you are at all times. You had to learn your way through the dark scary woods at night. There's also things hidden around the world that're fun to find. The ghost underwater in the courtyard of the estate of unrest? How cool is that? Finding out it's a ghost left over from when Garenel Rucksif murdered everyone in the manor before committing suicide? Intense.. Most MMOs don't have weather.. or day/night cycles. All of these things create a greater feeling of immersion. Especially coupled with...
2. Consequences. When you die, you actually suffer a real penalty. It sucks! EQ players know what it's like to actually be afraid to die in a game. Ever gotten sweaty palms when a pull didn't go quite as planned? Have you been nearly reduced to tears by that death at 2am on a school night? EQ players have. And we love that feeling. With real risk, comes a greater sense of reward.
3. Kiting. Seems like just about every MMO after EQ decided kiting was an exploit, and a dirty thing. They put all the monsters on a 10 foot chain and made it impossible to drag them around. The playstyle is largely gone, and many of us found it intensely enjoyable.
Just my 2cp
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