In terms of "free" games (games in which you can choose whether or not to pay RL cash for "additional" content (special clothing, easy mats, and such) there are a few games out there that are quite enjoyable, they just miss the special "touch" of pay to plays (Heavy GM staff, 100% proper spelling, constant patches/bug fixes, etc) due to a lower gross revenue generated..but anyways I'll list a few of the suggestions and try my best to categorize them.
Perfect World International - a Chinese-based and -themed game with heavy graphics but settings to reduce the graphics (if you play on a older PC, dialup, etc), the game was originally a subscription MMORPG in China but switched to a "cash shop" type of free game before launching outside of China. Has elements of both PvE and PvP that remind me of Lineage 2. Easy to pick up
and learn..and the best graphics of its business model (cash shop/free to play). Recently Implemented a Referral System to encourage people to invite their family/friends which rewards people with "free" items from thier cash shop when the person they referred purchases something. Races include Untamed (Half Beast, half humans with a variety of looks, including fox, panda, tiger, lion, wolf, succubus, cat, and mouse.) Winged Elfs (Basicially Elves who can fly without the use of aerocraft (air mounts), and Humans..who are well..Humans. There are currently 2 classes for each race, one damage dealer, 1 caster (Barbarian, Archer, Blademaster, and Venomancer, Cleric, and Wizard, respectively.)
Final Fantasy 11 Online: Great PvE game with an extensive crafting system with many bosses, and recently implemented a "level sync" system and a 14 day trial to make leveling easier. Unlike other MMORPGs, in this game you do not have a set "class", there are many "Jobs" (Classes) you can freely switch between inside towns, though each of these jobs must be leveled separately, even when after level 18 you can use a second job you have leveled as a SubJob restricted at half your Main Job's level..for example, you can use White Mage / Black Mage (WHM/BLM) with BLM being restriction at half your WHM level (rounded down).
There are many jobs to mix and match though of coruse some are more popular than others and arguably more enjoyable.
Races are Humes (Humans), Elvaan (elves), Mithra (Neko Shoujo/ Cat-girls [ Did I spell that right?]) Galka (Big guys with lizard tails and large bellies), and Tarutaru (Child-Sized race with faces that remind one of Alvin and the Chipmunks.
The game is in its 3rd expansion (Rise of the Zilart, Treasues of Aht Urghan, Wings of the Goddess) and costs about $19.99 in stores or as a direct download from Gamestop.com.
Lord of the Rings Online- Good MMORPG with a hige crafting system, top of the line graphics, and a great community (at least when I played it), though eventually I left due to the constant goldseller spam at the time, Has a pvp area where one side is the "Bad Guys" and the others the "good guys" (Monster Characters vs Player Characters). Has a 9.99 per month subscription fee or you can pay for a lifetime subscription for about 120 dollars, last i checked.
Theres also a very large amount of free to plays with cash shops out there that are fun, but low graphics (Mabinogi, MapleStory, and so forth) and of course Ragnarok Online, which last I heard was working on a RO2, though RO has a small sub. fee.
Personally I'm playing Perfect World International at this time, with a little FFXI and some other games on a very infrequent basis while waiting on Square Enix to announce their next MMORPG, which I hope will have a Star Ocean setting, and allow the use of jumping, which is my only major gripe with FFXI.
If there's anything I forgot, please forgive me, I usually try not to type extremely long messages, though this one is quite long.