If I had one last chance to do a good deed, I would tell you this: Do not play this horrid game for any reason.
Presentation and Polish:
There is no such terminology in a game like this. The menu and inventory system are completely disorganized and difficult to use or understand. Don't even try to understand the difference between weapons or armor because there is no logical process to comprehend the benefits of either. You will sometimes not even know if you've equipped an item even after you've equipped it. But fear not, your glitchy representation of a weapon will manifest itself once you enter the monster world. Now it is important to understand that once you begin a quest or "monster hunt" that not every monster really exists (that is, if you are playing with another friend via system link). Yes, it is that bad. You and your fiend will not even see the same enemies and you will therefore be unable fight together, thereby rendering the little multiplayer this game does have utterly useless. Load times are long and pervasive, and you will probably never comprehend why this is so, since the game doesn't even look that good to begin with.
Gameplay:
Oh my, oh my. I truly value the presentation and polish of a game because it shows a company's ability to at least put in an effort to consolidate their game for the marketplace. However, gameplay is the most important part of any game and truly determines the actual worth of the game in question. Unfortunately, the worst part about Monster Hunter is its gameplay mechanics. Watching your character fight monsters is just about the most frustrating experience you will undergo if you play this unfinished work. Lock-on is non-existent, camera control is nearly impossible, and the combat is stiffly animated and boring. You would think monster hunting would be a great concept, right? Well, to give you an idea, I literally wanted to join an animal rights activist group after playing this number. The monsters themselves actually look somewhat decent, but on the flip side they are completely non-chalant in combat and do not offer any sliver of excitement once you've defeated one. The crap you get from defeating your enemies can only be picked up once, and if you dare drop items to make room, you lose those items forever. If you want to pick up the spoils of battle, then you can only use them later. Such materials can be used to make items in town, but they are completely spread out and difficult to collect, especially when the game really doesn't offer any motivation whatsoever to do so. Perhaps there is more depth to the game as it progresses, but I was unable to continue at this point.
Music and Sound Effects:
Quite possibly the best part of this game, simply because they are not as bad as everything else. Sound effects do the job, but are nothing spectacular or truly convincing. Music and ambient noise is mildly decent. Unfortunately for these guys, you have to have a good game to begin with if audio is going to make a difference.
Conclusion:
If I had one last chance to do a good deed on Earth, I would tell you this: "Do not play this horrid game for any reason."