Rift is a pretty good themepark mmo (as opposed to sandbox where you can do just about anything)
The problem with it if you haven't gotten past level 50 is that the original game levels 1-50 is quite linear and not very large.
The Storm Legion content 50-51 (which is also free) is quite open by comparison and less of chore to get through.
Endgame content is pretty varied though more PvE focused than PvP. The Rift Store has gear but not the top tier endgame gear. It's not P2W so much as pay to skip the grind.
If you can find a boxed game in a retail store you can unlock many account bonuses that were given to people who subscribed before the game went free to play for a cheaper price than buying those unlocks via the in game store. When I heard it was going f2p I looked around for a discounted Storm Legion box that included the base game.
It was a deal imo.
Extra character and bag slots. Expansion souls (classes) and one month patron (subscription) time. It's not necessary but it helps with the grind as you get bonuses that help you level a bit faster.
The Class system really stands out for me. you can pick from 4 archetypes Warrior, Cleric, Rogue, Mage. Then the talent trees referred to as "souls" in the game allow you a lot of customization options. You can buy up to 9 (iirc) roles or specs for each character at an increasing price. However, resetting a role or spec never goes up in price no matter how many times it is done. It is a very flexible system. Eventually all the archetypes will be able to play all parts in the holy trinity (tank, dps, healer) the cleric is the only one that can do all three atm.
8/10 imo