A summary about this game for those who are wandering about it.
First off, there really is no story, or character development, although in Monster Hunter Freedom 2 and Unite, your character has some sort of vendetta against Tigrex, who you take on not too far into the game, and is never mentioned again afterwards. So, if you're looking for a story, or artificial character development, there is none, or very little, in this series.
The overall purpose of the game is to gather materials. From plants, to bones, to metals. These materials are used to create and upgrade the many weapons and armors you will unlock as you go through the game. Although at first the materials required are easily gathered, not much later on, you will require materials carved from wyverns in order to keep advancing. Eventually, there will be the point where most of the quests will shift from mainly gather plants, or killing a certain number of monsters, to taking on gargantuan beasts who threathen the village, or the villagers around it. This is where the fun officially starts.
Each monster has it's own strenghts and weaknesses, and chances are, will completely own you if you go will only the items offered to you by the village, which usually consists of a few potions, food items, etc. It is here where most of the then-seeming useless items come into play. You see, beyond their basic use, most items can be combined into stronger items, some being one-time-use, other are items you will wants to stock up on as much as possible, namely potions, and ammo if you use bowguns. These items are often vital to your success in battle against wyverns.
In battle, different armors will also give you different stat boosts, such as being able to have more stamina (most actions drain from the stamina bar, the most important being running), or the ability to eat faster (which, although seeming useless, can really give you an edge against quick monster who don't allow you to patch up). Along with items, these armors are key to being successful. But it's not just about choosing the strongest armor, but choosing which suits you playstyle best.
Your final weapon against monsters, are... weapons! You see, this game offers different types of weapons. From quick weapons with low damage output, such as katanas, to slow weapons with HUGE damage output, such as the Hammer. Each weapons has its own playstyle, compliments, and oddities. Each weapon offers an unique way of battle when compared to another, and no one weapon can really replace another, so although you may find a favorite weapon, it might be better for you to at least develop some knowledge of other weapons, since some battles may be easier with them. And if you play with other people, it's usually better to have different weapons than 4 Greatsword users, since your team will become a lot more versatile.
In order to get these items, chances are you're gonna have to take a beast down. However, just killing a wyvern may not be enough. There are different types of ways of taking down wyverns. The most common is killing them, the other way is to drug them and capture them alive. You may also attack indiviidual key body parts to break them off, such as tails, wings, horns, etc. Of course, this game has no lock-on, or auto-aimed attacks. Most wyvern will attack non-stop, flee, rush you, etc. They will only offer small windows to damage them, and as a hunter, you have to plan and lay out a strategy to deal as much damage as you can, without risking yourself to get hit, since most of their attacks will take out a huge chunk of your health. Add the fact that some of you actions may enrage the wyverns, making them stronger,, and the fact that they can flee to rest, feed, etc. and you got a game where you will have to learn to plan out every move in order to succeed. Trust me on this, no matter how many times you do it, every time you kill/capture a wyvern, you WILL feel accomplished, because no matter how many time you fight a wyvern, they are no less dangerous, and if handled wrong, even an experienced Hunter may be killed by the infamous Yian Kut-Ku.
On top of hunting, you also have a farm to grow basic items in, a pond to fish in, and a kitchen where Felynes (humanoid cats) will cook for you, giving you various one-time stat boosts. You are also able to fish, catch bugs, and mine during Quests, but are required to have your own fishing rods, bug nets, and pickaxes.
So basically, the game goes in a cycle of:
Get items > Kill wyverns > Use wyvern remains to get better items > Kill wyvern> And so on and so forth.
It's pretty straight out, but since each wyvern has it's strenghts, weaknesses, quicks, etc, each new wyvern you fight will offer you hours of gameplay if you're aiming to get everything you can from that section of the game before you move on.
The games has no real end. You can keep hunting forever, basically, in order to get everything you possibly can. Add the multiplayer aspect, the Hunter Guild (which is the same missions, but usually harder), and the Arena, and you got a game that, if you fall for it, will last you hundreds of hours. It truly is a great game.
Try it out, and DON'T get discouraged if you run into some walls. This game is the definition of practice makes perfect, and if you honestly want to develop, you will be rewarded.
Again, try out the game, however, as a huge fan of these series, I beg of you to not pirate it. Try it out, and if you like it, do buy it. I know MH3 won't release until next year in the US, but there are PSP games as well, which you could buy if you like them. This is a great series that already runs the risk of being shut away from the West due to less-than-stellar sales, and it's a pain playing them in Japanese. I know they're not for everyone, and many people hate the series, but again, if you enjoy them, due contribute so Capcom won't leave us in the shadows with future releases.
I hope anyone who tries this game enjoys it, and becomes a fellow hunter.
