I have play this game a fair amount since release and feel I can give a review on my initial impression on the game . it be a mmo so the game will evolve over time , so some of my statement may no longer be relevant after patch be release . pro : + Graphics + soloable -lrb- party be still faster -rrb- + in depth , skill base craft system + storyline + music + extremely large zone , you will rarely come across zone line con : - uus lag for npc interaction , change equipment , and craft - no auction House\/Market search -lrb- detail below -rrb- - teleport consume Anima , you gain enough Anima for 1 to 1.5 teleport a day - chat system be clunky , and linkshell -lrb- guild -rrb- chat can easily be lose in battle spam -lrb- you deal x damage to y monster -rrb- . filter be avalible , but not complete . - content lock out currently . ishgard -lrb- the new Jeuno for FFXI player -rrb- be close . you can not ride chocobo yet . no airship . this make travel time consuming , and no central place for meeting people . - uus do not improve over XI , pretty much the same -lrb- just more\/different menu option -rrb- . - Account management be clunky beyond belief . I would also like to hit on a few point that have people worry before release . the biggest be probably the fatigue system where people be afraid that se would limit you play time . well , I can tell you that unless you be a power leveler -lrb- as in play all day every day -rrb- you will not hit the limit . you can get into the 20 's for rank within a single week , the cap for the game be currently 50 . so if 3 week be too long to reach max level ... then I guess the fatigue system will be a problem for you . for we mortal who must sleep however it be not something you be likely to run into . level pace be extreamly fast for the first 10 rank , once you hit rank 10 however you hit a wall and thing slow down , a lot . I also want to go into more detail on one of my con , the lack of a auction house\/search system . in this game almost all you equipment will come from crafter . not drop . not buy from npc shop . this give crafter in the game a real purpose , and I like that because I enjoy craft . this be completely opposite to game like WoW where the vast majority of craft goods be ` useless ' in comparison to dungeon drops\/quest reward . to sell item you can create a npc retainer who act like a shop keeper . you put they in a area that act like a market square where other player can walk around and view each shop . there be no way to search who be sell what , or who be buy what . you have to go through each retainer , one by one , and there be thousand of they . you be look at significant time to search through a sea of stuff you do not want to try and find the item you need ... at a price you can afford . the problem with this be all the craft be dependent on each other . want to make a spear as a blacksmith ? you 'll need a carpenter to make the shaft , and the carpenter will need raw wood from a botanist . you 'll also need some leather for the grip , which you get from a leather worker , who need chemical from a alchemist to cure the hide . you can see how this be go , if you want to make something you need to buy component from other crafter -lrb- or level that craft yourself -rrb- . with no auction house or market search feature it be near impossible to find the item you need , which make craft gear near impossible , which mean once you get into the teens for rank , and certainly into the 20 's , you gear be really start to hurt you . that be my biggest complaint with the game . se have say they have something ready -lrb- either ah or search feature -rrb- but they be wait to see what player do with the economy ... this be really stupid in my opinion as this issue be turn a lot of people away from they game , include I . fix this one issue and my rating of the game will increase a substantial amount . my recommendation would be to wait to purchase this game until they have fix the ah\/market search problem . once that be fix , it really have the potential to be a great mmorpg . -lrb- small note on collector 's edition . the NA crowd get shaft big time compare to EU . we get less stuff -lrb- know before purchase -rrb- but also the journal be crap compare to the EU one . -rrb- update 9\/29\/2010 : Square-Enix have announce plan to re-do the market ward . they 'll name each ward towards specific category of equipment\/items and any item sell in that ward that fall under its category will have a reduce tax . player be not force to sell only that category goods though . they plan to implement this in 1 to 2 week . I can see this improve the situation , but not entirely solve it . since each player be currently limit to a single retainer you can expect the category to only be loosely follow . se plan to allow player to have multiple retainer , but likely at a real world cost of $ 1\/extra retainer -lrb- this price be announce long ago before the game release -rrb- . I will personally probably get 2 extra retainer to make the game cost be $ 14.99 which be equal to other pay to play MMO 's . it should be note that each retainer have a 80 item capacity so the more you have , the more storage you have also . UPDATE : 7\/27\/2011 : well , it have be almost a full year -lrb- 10 month -rrb- since launch and I can say this game have see major improvement . it be still not quite there , but it be a much better game than what we first see . the market ward have a nice search feature , that include price . it will even place a icon next to the Retainers name so you can easily find they in the ward . Shopping be a much much more enjoyable experience now . I still think a ah style in the way of ffxus would be better -lrb- game would not have to load thousand of retaienr - obvious lag -rrb- . combat have have lot of improvement , most recently the removal of fatigue and stamen , and the addition of you time honor auto-attack . since stamen be remove you special skill now work off cool-down timer like you be use to from ffxus and other mmo 's . craft for local levequest be now much faster since it give you a repeat option . no more need to go through you menu every single time . it also remember that last few thing you have craft for quicker access . repair have be greatly simplify , a single material type be now need for every equipment type call dark matter . no more need to carry around , or find , several different type -lrb- for example cloth fent , tree branch , ore , metal , etc -rrb- to keep you armor and weapon in good shape . they have add nm and also have start add quest to the game that fall outside of the basic levequest the game start with . there be still very few of these though . you can tell from the patch note and the letter from the producer that they be put the framework in for questing hub like you 'll find in most popular MMO 's that will be a welcome addition . they have add the hub , but not the quest yet . they have also add two instanced dungeon -lrb- they call they raid , but I think that be a bit much for what they be -rrb- that require party to complete . I have decide to bump my review up a star to 4\/5 due to all they change they have make . the final star can be earn once they flesh out the quest to add content to keep it from be a mindless grindfest to level , and once they finally add alternative mode of transportation -lrb- airship and chocobo at a minimum -rrb- .