A friend just woke me up to tell me he sucks at the game.
Let me offer a FAQ for the OP before I go:
Q: I have no idea what I'm doing. How do I learn my moves?
Both demos have a digital manual. For the 3DS button, check on the home menu. For the Wii U, press the home key.
Q: What's a good weapon to start off with? My attacks are too slow!
Dual Swords and Long Sword are what you're looking for. You aren't locked into your weapon choice, so you can experiment once you've learned the enemy.
Q: How do I lock on?
There isn't any true lock on. However, when you go to an area where the monster is present, click their icon on the touch screen. Now pressing L will center the camera on the monster instead of centering behind the player.
Q: How do I know if I'm doing damage?
If you're hitting the monster, you should be doing damage.
Monster Hunter is largely about observation. If the monster staggers from the hit, if they limp away, if they start getting faster and stronger, you're probably doing alright.
Q: Why am I stuck to the floor after I attack?
In Monster Hunter, you can't attack recklessly if you want to succeed. Get in a couple of hits, then dodge away.
You can end most attacking animations early by using the B button.
Q: Can I kill the monster faster?
Sure. Making use of your items will speed things up a lot. Try to lure a monster into a trap and drop bombs beside it.
If your weapon seems to stop for a split second when you hit, you've hit a weak spot. Try to focus your attacks there.
Q: Are their only two attacks?
Melee weapons have several attacks. X, Y, X+Y, and R all perform different actions. You can also sometimes perform different actions as part of a combo, by while holding the stick down while pressing the button, or by holding down the button. Look at the digital manual for details.
Q: Why can't I do X with the touchpad? Why can't the shoulder buttons do X?
Maybe they can! You can customize the touchscreen for both versions if the full game. This allows you to access items at a touch, resize the touchscreen D-pad, or remove the HUD from your screen completely. You can also customize the function of the ZL and ZR buttons with the Wii U's controllers.
Q: Is there a quest timer in the full version?
The timer is generally set for 50 minutes. You should have some time to gather items or cook meat as well as complete your objective.
There are also quests that eliminate the time limit. You can also freely visit the Deserted Island map (seen in the demo's Hard mission) without any fear of a time limit or being defeated.
Q: Is there any more to this game?
In the full game, you can customize most things. You can forge and upgrade your weapons and armour. You can gather items and choose the ones you want. Through your equipment, you can also equip special skills.
Q: Is this whole game just about fighting one monster?
The bulk of the game's missions are like this, but not all. Hunting multiple monsters and gathering items are also common objectives. In later missions, powerful monsters may appear; you must decide whether to fight them or flee.
Much of the game also consists of creating and customizing your equipment.
Q: I suck at this game!
Don't worry about it. Practice makes perfect.
