A unique niche, not for everyone, but hits the spot if it's for you.
To say Forge is finished would be a lie. Sooo many features need to be implemented still, huge amounts of contented are greyed out. However, the combat and matches are there if you're willing to boot it up. There's no real differences in gear, items, or stats. Customization is sacrificing points in one aspect of your character to redistribute them into another (ie, magic resistence for more physical resistance). But that's what I love. I love ripping apart someone as a pyromancer in a few seconds, why? Because of skill. Then watching another pyromancer be bad because they don't utilize their full potential with skill rotations. This game is merciless, barely has a tutorial, and very aggressive and violent. But that hardcore, cut-throat world allows people to shine in a way that cookie cutter, hand holding mega-publisher games simply can't, or won't.
As I said before, this game fills that particular niche I described. For me, that's why I love it. For you, that may be why you hate it. Do what feels right, read into what you're getting into, then take the plunge if you want to risk it. I got it for 10$ on the winter '12 steam sale, and it was worth every cent.