@Benga
The game has no level up system, so grinding isn't like WoW, the game is basically mission based, and you have many options, like mining and so on.. think Animal Crossing meets Phantasy Star Online.
In town he game functions similar to many RPGS in fact you'd think you were just playing through a RPG.
The only grind element may be in collecting raw materials to make your gear. Which isn't hard, the hard part is actually killing the wyrems that you can poach for their materials.
To give you an example of how the game functions. NPC's do not sell potions, they do sell herbs, which regenerate some but a small ammount of hp.
By combining herbs with a blue mushroom (only attainable by searching for the mushroom) you in turn can make potions. (You can also get mushrooms from he stomach of monsters that would normally eat them.)
Potions are good but say your fighting harder monsters and you want more life gauge healed in less time, so your going to need mega potions, you have to hunt for hunny, so you should go into a forest look for some beets find the bee hive and get your hunny. Combine it with a potion to make a mega potion.
Food is an element to be aware of also.