I could never get into Monster Hunter. I really liked God Eater 3. It was a much more streamlined game.

Subbing for later. There are some good tips here. I know I'm going to give MH another shot sometime soon. I tried a demo on the Wii and couldn't get into it, but now that I realize each weapon is different I realize that I'll probably like this game once I find a weapon I like.

Also another one, and this is crucial; if you find yourself struggling, try changing your weapon. A monster that's a nightmare with the dual blades might be a breeeze with the lance, and vice versa. Rather than sticking to one weapon, it's best to get good at several so you can change your approach if your usual strategy isn't working.

Monster Hunter has come a long way since the Wii; it's a lot less inscrutable now.

Is it wise to go to expedition quests right after you go through the first tutorials? I did the first two training missions with the eccentric master and then went to an expedition quest, the big monster available there was a bear-like beast whose name I don't remember and the battle took quite a bit, probably around 10 minutes. Is that an acceptable time or am I missing something? Tried to kill it first with a lance but it turned out to be a bad idea, the monster is fast and the attacks take forever to land (though it deals higher damage), tried next with a sword and shield kit and things went much better, thought it was still a long ordeal.

I just got around the game now that I'm in a holiday.

Wish I saw this thread earlier lol

The biggest tip I have is to NOT be afraid to ask for help or do online hunts.  The best way to learn is see how other people do it.  You might be surprised at how helpless or meaningless you'll feel next to experienced players, but that's what helps encourage you to get better at it and build better equipment for the job.

I've helped many low rank players get into high rank, a few of which were real life friends.  It takes someone to show you the ropes or to bring you along sometimes for you to really "get" it.  I was once that new guy, and I thought I was doing a pretty good job, but then I finally went online and watched everyone else wallop the monster while I got knocked around, and it was in that moment the challenge and addiction began lol

It can be humbling at first when you have to somewhat stay back and let the others beat on it so that you don't faint and fail the quest for everyone, but we recognize when that's happening and have nothing against it.  Everyone was new at one point

10 minutes for your first big monster as a newcomer sounds pretty quick, but maybe it felt like 10 minutes. Anyways, it is wise to play the way you like it. If expeditions are fun for you, than everything is alright. I would recommend to make some quest to slay small monsters first, but if you had fun, then go for it. Some comments: new regions to explore with expeditions are unlocked as you progress through the levels of quests, so unlocking more stars gives you access to more regions. You progress through the star-rating, by doing a certain number of  key quests (they are marked with a symbol as you select quests) and then do an urgent quest to unlock the next level. Also the regions get more different big monsters, I think Shrine ruins start with Arzuros (the bear monster) and Great Izuchi, but unlock other monsters like Aknosom, if you do other quests.