Monster Hunter Tri IS grind, but it's a good game.
I had no idea Monster Hunter games existed until the hyped release of MHT. I decided, what the hell, and turned in some bad XBox360 games at GameStop to buy it. I recommend, unless you are a hardcore fan of the series, that you do the same. Not because the game does not earn its price tag, but because it may not be as glorious as you imagine it to be.
MHT is grinding... grinding...grinding. All the time. Everywhere. You will repeat the same fights over and over again as you attempt to upgrade your weapons and armor, and you will farm the same zones dry over and over again as you make an effort to produce potions and other items.
This isn't necessarily a bad thing for MHT however. In fact, it doesn't feel like much a chore to harvest certain types of monsters and ingredients after you get into the game. This is due to the wonderful world and amazing monster AI that comes along with it. Monsters will behave like you may imagine them to, running away if you kill one of their herd, or attacking your outright when you get too close. The animations are also well done and the battles, especially the large ones, are challenging a and diverse.
There is also a hidden surprise in the game as your progress early on. Kill one type of large monster and you will see many more like it springing up all around the world at random. They will chase and hunt you and knock you out if you are unprepared or unable to fight them. Otherwise, when they stroll into view, you may delight in the random encounter and rush to secure another hide.
There's a lot of grumbling about a lack of a lock on feature in MHT and the long animations that take place when you are knocked over and try to swing a large weapon. Mostly, the lack of these features work FOR the game. A lock on would make some fights far too easy and the long animations... well they're just frustrating as far as I can tell, but they also add to the challenge. Timing your moves well and using items is all part of being a good monster hunter after all. Just instant-popping potions doesn't seems like a whole lot of fun anyway, and let's face it, instant health revival is for sissies.
MHT is ADDICTING. Collecting loot to make new armor, collecting loot to make new weapons, upgrading, making items... it all holds a great deal of appeal as grinding usually does. It's the possibility of getting something better or cooler or bigger or whatever that drives grinding, and in that way MHT is coke to a coke addict.
My advice would be to read up online on different tactics and weapon/armor recipes while you are playing. There is a lot of open world in MHT and a lot of armor sets and weapons to own, so its a good idea to have an idea of where you are going and what you will need. It doesn't hurt to have a few tips for the big bosses in your arsenal as well, though as you progress you will learn to adapt quickly and no longer need outside advice.
Pick a weapon early on and master it, but always have a sub weapons, maybe something with a shield, to fall back on for the fights that require a lot of blocking. You won't be able to DODGE everything, so having a weapon or shield to soak up the damage can be a good thing.
Preparedness is all in this game, either in how many potions you decide to take, what kind of potions, traps, and bombs you bring along. You'll learn the hard way in the offline mode, and that's not a bad thing since being knocked out on the beginner island results in no large penalty. However, a little planning goes a long way and you will not find yourself being carted back to your base, ass up, by ninja cats very often.
Monster Hunter Tri is a game that a casual gamer would enjoy playing, but keep in mind that it is one giant ladder with no top rung, so you may be climbing forever.