I find it addicting. First of all, the game progresses like any other. At first you'll be soloing up to 10-12, then from there, there are a few options. You start partying with other people, and you start seeing a story develop around your nation as you progress through the missions.

You'll start to learn what parties work and which ones don't, and the ropes of everything. There are lots of quests, lots of ways to make money, and lots of things to do. Most people focus on grinding to 75, which is not the best approach, if you ask me.

There are a number of things that motivate you as you keep playing. New spells, new inherent abilities, new gear. But then there are certain things that open up, like the quest that allows you to ride chocobos at around 20-25. Even earlier than that, you'll gain access to subjobs, which allows you to level 2 jobs and keep one as your main, and one as your sub-main (half the level and spells). There are tons of missions and things to keep you interested throughout.

I know someone who has played this game 170 days, or 4080 hours since it's release in america, so there is definitely something there.

Besides that, there is the social aspect of it. When you are leveling crafting, grinding, looking for help, etc, you'll run across people. Eventually you'll set up a group of friends, a linkshell where you can all chat, and various things. This greatly enhances the game. And with the multitude of jobs and combinations, there is plenty of stuff to do.

Ultimately it comes down to preference. Some people don't like the reward system, and think the game is too harsh. Indeed it is harsh. It doesn't let you have everything so easily, you have to work hard. I think this is a good thing. For others who prefer simpler gratification, WoW might be a better choice.

Some people don't like MMOs. Although honestly I think that Everquest was a horrible MMO, many people disagree. Some people have played it for many years, and are still playing it. So really, you can't know if you like it unless you try it. Maybe this MMO will click with you, maybe not.