Amazingly addictive. Who would have thought a mmo designed for kids could grab an adult so easily...
I helped him get going on it. Then my 13 year old said "Hmm that looks fun I want to try it out." So then I watch them both play it for a while. "Hmm that does look fun...guess Ill setup one more account.."
Being a veteran of MMO games I can tell you without reservation this is the most refreshing game I have seen in quite some time. After playing Wow for 3 years, EQ, EQ2, LOTRO, EVE, War, Daoc, Daoc 2, Ryzom, UO, Neocron, Tabula Rasa and probably 4-5 others I forget...I now am playing only Free Realms with my sons.
Yes, Im sure all the "Im too cool for that..." 18-24 year old males will avoid it and talk bad about it on the leet speak forums. Yes, the game has a very cartoony look to it. Think Disney meets Wow. But the game has charm and by the truckload and there is just so many things to do.
The minigames are fun. The card game built into the game is very well done. Challenging without being too easy or too complicated for its own good. It works well for children as well with many parental controls if needed. My 8 year old loves it. He can play with his dog for 15 minutes, then go fight some creatures for 15 minutes, then go play the mining minigame for a few minutes....bored with that...go challenge his brother to a card game...done with that....go play one of the tower defense games.....something else....go try to finish a few collection quests.
The game really has some potential. If they continue to add good content updates this game will go quite far. The $5 subscription seems fair overall and they dont overdo it with the buyable items in that you feel you have to have them beyond getting a pet.
Anyway...great game. If your even mildly interested in it give it a try. What do you have to lose....its free!!