Anime-GF Fantasy XIV:
First of all, there are many F2P players in FFXIV and, if you're wanting to be one of them, DON'T PURCHASE THE GAME ON STEAM!! This will force you into paying for a membership after 30 days of "free" play time, so I would recommend downloading through FFXIV's website first, you can always purchase the game on Steam afterwards. Once you pay for a membership, YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK TO BEING F2P ON THAT ACCOUNT.

Pros:
- The fanbase in-game is (usually) pretty nice, people are helpful most of the time.
- Socialising is huge in this game (in-game clubs, RP events etc), but it's all completely optional.
- Certain servers have boosts that help new players get to endgame quicker.
- The first two DLCs are free. I take my time with this game and, 447hrs in, I'm still at the 2nd DLC.
- The fashion options are pretty amazing.
- Most players are 18+, so you won't have to deal with annoying kids who grief (MOST of the time).
- A lot of different jobs to pick from and you can do every single job in the game on one single character, so no need to level up 15 different characters and switch whenever you feel like changing things up.
- A mixture of easy and hard jobs for those new to MMOs and MMO veterans.

Cons:
- In order to get certain buffs, you HAVE to join a clan (in-game they are called Free Companies).
- A lot of characters tend to look the same.
- 447hrs in and I haven't been interested in the story once.
- A lot of people in clans (Free Companies) tend to be dead-set on creating drama (in my experience).

If FFXIV sounds even remotely interesting to you, I'd definitely give it a go, but just make sure to download FFXIV from the website and don't purchase it through steam until you're 100% sure you want to commit to a paid monthly membership. Purchasing the game through Steam locks you into a paid membership, but you can play F2P (free to play) on the website download forever (until you decide you want to pay).

[b]Anime-GF Fantasy XIV:[/b] First of all, there are many F2P players in FFXIV and, if you're wanting to be one of them, [b]DON'T PURCHASE THE GAME ON STEAM!![/b] This will force you into paying for a membership after 30 days of "free" play time, so I would recommend downloading through FFXIV's website first, you can always purchase the game on Steam afterwards. [b]Once you pay for a membership, YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK TO BEING F2P ON THAT ACCOUNT.[/b] [b]Pros:[/b] - The fanbase in-game is (usually) pretty nice, people are helpful most of the time. - Socialising is huge in this game (in-game clubs, RP events etc), but it's all completely optional. - Certain servers have boosts that help new players get to endgame quicker. - The first two DLCs are free. I take my time with this game and, 447hrs in, I'm still at the 2nd DLC. - The fashion options are pretty amazing. - Most players are 18+, so you won't have to deal with annoying kids who grief (MOST of the time). - A lot of different jobs to pick from and you can do every single job in the game on one single character, so no need to level up 15 different characters and switch whenever you feel like changing things up. - A mixture of easy and hard jobs for those new to MMOs and MMO veterans. [b]Cons:[/b] - In order to get certain buffs, you HAVE to join a clan (in-game they are called Free Companies). - A lot of characters tend to look the same. - 447hrs in and I haven't been interested in the story once. - A lot of people in clans (Free Companies) tend to be dead-set on creating drama (in my experience). If FFXIV sounds even remotely interesting to you, I'd definitely give it a go, [b]but just make sure to download FFXIV from the website and don't purchase it through steam until you're 100% sure you want to commit to a paid monthly membership. Purchasing the game through Steam locks you into a paid membership, but you can play F2P (free to play) on the website download forever (until you decide you want to pay).[/b]