It's the best game of Monster Hunter Series. If you like previous games-buy it!
Well, Monster Hunter is game unlike any other. If you previously played RPGs or action RPGs (like Gothic series, Risen, or even Mass Effect) you will have to learn this game from scratch. Firstly-your avatar IS NOT LEVELING. Only things you can improve is armor and weapons. Your avatar will not learn anything-you'll learn it. This means this game is VERY hard at beginning.When you get used to it, it gets a bit less difficult.
Now, lets cover rest of game. I have to say that this is my first encouter with Monster Hunter series, so I will not say what is better than before, and what is the same. If you need this info, head for GameSpot review.
Monster Hunter puts you in shoes of hunter, who hunts (what a surprise!) monsters. In beginning you're pushed from cliff by giant monster (a wywern Tigrex) so you have to recuperate and start from scratch. Why if you DON'T level up? I don't know, perhaps Tigrex was hungry and ate all equipment?
Anyway, you get some basic weapons and armor from retired hunter, and you start taking quests.
What I have to admit is-you cannot buy everything for money! If you want high-end armor, you need to serach for materials-both can be found in monsters (after killing them) or in field. Sometimes materials have strange names, and you really don't know which monster to hunt to get THIS material, not the other (for instance-how can I know, that "Flabby Hide" can be obtained from Khezu?). But if you collect all materials, you can be happy owner of new armor! If you don't like gathering materials, you can improve armor using Armor Spheres. But even this upgrade has a limit.
I mentioned quests-I have to explain what it is. It's a trip on a field, in purpose to:
-gather items without powerful monsters present ( gathering quests),
-slay number of one species of small monster (slaying quest),
-hunt a powerful monster (hunting quest). I have to mention that HUNTING is not the same as killing. You can (and in fact should) capture monster. If you do it, you cannot carve things from it, but you'll get rare items after quest.
Any quest needs preparations. You have to decide what weapon to take, what armor (every armor have resistances to different elements-it is wise to take anti-electric armor if you're hunting electric wyvern like Khezu),and what items. And as soon as you have tons of different items to choose from, you really don't have to worry. You can choose from different ammo types (if you use bowgun), arrow coatings (if you're a bow user), potions, antidotes, even food.
Let me now cover everything not about quests.
You own (or more precisely-lend) a Pokke Farm. It can supply you with some items like ores or bugs. You can even plant seeds and see what will grow.
Secondly-there is somebody to help you if your friends don't have time. Felyne comrades can go on quests with you, and despite their weakness (their blows are not very strong) they can drag monster away if you can't move, wake you up if yore stunned. AI of comrades is very good-they run around monsters (which are 2-5 times bigger than you,and Felyne is a cat, that is 1/3 of you height)and sometimes strikes. They can gather items with you,they even go fishing with you.
I mentioned comrades-in your kitchen you can find Felynes too. They're cooks-their meals can boost some of your attributes (like attack power, stamina or resistances) or drop them (if you choose bad ingredients). Yes-you have to choose two dishes from total number, which varies from kitchen level of chief.
I mentioned only some things implemented in Monster Hunter Freedom Unite. To conclude-it's perfect game if you like a challenge. Tons of stuff, beginnig form weapons, through ores to whetstones will keep you glued. Only one thing is BAD, very bad-there is only ad-hoc multiplayer. I know why-it would be impossible to communicate (without voice communication) when you hunt for wyvern. But here is not Japan, where everybody have PSP system. Internet multiplayer with voice com. or automated messages (triggered from menu or by shortcuts) could be handy.
Now let's get chopping! :)