The game is not pay to win, it's 90% cooperative (the exception being conclave with is pretty broken IMO). If you dish out money the only thing it does is help you build and acquire things faster, Platinum is also a tradable currency so you can easily make plenty of it without paying a dime if you're willing to put in the work. As for the game, it's a lot of fun. The game play is fast paced and the controls are very smooth. There's a large variety of weapons and frames to choose from and they all bring something different to the table. The game is also, However, an incredibly large grind. All the gear needs to be crafted which can take 12-hours for weapons and parts to 3 days for frames (plus the added time it takes to make the parts). You also have to be able to grind for the materials to craft them in the first place which can be a major pain depending on the material. The loot system is also RNG annoying as it is with most RNG games so getting that one piece you so desparetly need can become a major hassle ([b]SCREW YOU NYX PRIME CHASSIS[/b]) All in all its still an enjoyable game to play, it's free so you don't really have anything to lose trying it out.