Finally, a MMORPG that isn't 20% skill 80% gear.
The basic gameplay consists of flying your "gear" (a futuristic plane type thing with weapons) and killing things to gain exp. and items. I know, standard MMORPG fare right? Not here. Each fight you get into becomes an active and engaging dogfight that tests your skills as a pilot (although with lower level MOBs it won't be too difficult). Grinding isn't grinding anymore, it's practice for the real meat of the game, the PvP arenas.
Ranging from 1 on 1 duels to huge battalion wars (the game's equivalent of clans) PvP is highly encouraged throughout the game, due to the Nation Wars system. At level 11, a player chooses to side with one nation, making every player on the other nation a sworn enemy. And unlike most games where this type of system exists, the PvP fighting is both common and enjoyable. Taking down a member of an opposing nation awards the player both fame, and gives the player's nation "nation points", which will give the player's nation a bonus (scouts, NPC battleships to assist raids on the enemy nation, etc.) when enough points are accumulated.
Like I said, the "level grinding" that plaques most types of these games is almost completely eliminated (a few of the side missions require you to kill off huge numbers of MOBs, which can get tedious). One thing that might turn off people is the fact that all weaponry requires ammo, and the idea that you're pretty much paying for each attack might seem like a drain on a person's funds, but the good news is that ammunition is quite cheap, and you are immediately given the resupply screen when you land. The only problem is that all weapons are resupplied in 100 pack bundles. So say your secondary weapon (in my play experience a missile) has 300 shots, and you shoot 20 off. To resupply you have to buy 100 missiles, but you only get 20. This requires the player to remember not to buy two 100 packs of missles because they shot off 101. This isn't really a problem, but it can cost you precious funds when you start getting into the more expensive weaponry.
For a free game, the graphics aren't bad, but they're not amazing either. The loading times are great, and the longest time you spend waiting is actually for the game to exit to the desktop. The game comes with it's own soundtrack, but after hours and hours of the same songs might wear on your nerves (personally I liked them, but I can guess that others might not like it). But the good thing is you can switch tracks as well as simply turn the songs down.
Long story short, this is just a great game that expertly mixes in the community and RPG elements of great (and expensive) MMORPG's as well as the fun and challenge of an action-packed space shooter. And adding in the fact that it is and always will be free makes this a must play.