When I first started, I thought it was very convenient to newbie areas, had a couple of small monsters to kill, and learn how to fight with, and it had all the basics you would want in a starting city:armourer, weaponsmith, portal, quest helper, bank, etc.
It was all pretty small, too, so it was easy to remember where things were while you were getting used to the interface and traveling.
I'm sure there are things that could be improved upon, but altogether, I thought my stay in Pleasantville was rather pleasant!