A 14 day free trial is now available in case you'd like to try this game out in its current state. I played a bit in beta but was bothered by some aspects. Enjoying my return a bit more. Forgot how nice the graphics and music are. Also, you can turn off most of the battle flashy effects which can be a bit over the top for me.
People seem to either love or hate this game from discussions on MMORPG.com. I figured I'd give it a try for awhile and see if it holds my interest.
http://www.ffxiv-freetrial.com/us/