FFXI is, admittedly, a love it or hate it game. It's probably best that one can't fork out $200 for some kind of lifetime membership right from the get-go. The one month trial version is often insufficient, as, unless you're a returning player, one is unlikely to experience the extent of the game in a mere month. Better to pay as you go and then realize down the road that FFXI might not be for you than front a large sum of money and waste it by quitting.