Considering it crashed multiple digital storefronts the minute it launched, had hundreds of thousands of players on Steam within an hour, and had been one of the most hyped game launches in years I think it’s safe to say this wasn’t a huge factor. Not that it doesn’t help.
And the $20 price tag is in the same boat, I know plenty of people (myself included) who would’ve paid double without hesitation considering the good will Team Cherry has earned from their first game.
Maybe a bit mundane but I think the reason the game is an enormous success is because it’s a sequel to one of the best games of the last decade. That and the developers were able to pour their passion into it instead of having to force it out before it was finished with a bunch of predatory monetization garbage.
It’s certainly the best RPG ever written and one of the coolest RPG systems of all time, easily my favorite and it’s not particularly close. I think the point about it not being fun is extremely subjective.
It’s not a AAA blockbuster with action-driven gameplay but there’s more than enough entertainment and intrigue to get you through multiple replays in my experience.