I decided to replay MHW on PC since my PS4 couldn't handle more than a couple of hunts without crashing, which probably soured my opinion on the game and its slower pace/padding in the different areas. I've played up through the base game and a little bit of Iceborne at this point, and I was definitely a little harsh on the game when it first released. It's a pretty good MH and a really solid PC port. I decided to try out Insect Glaive this time around since I normally use slower weapons like Charge Blade or Great Sword, and that made things different enough that I really didn't mind replaying the game. I'm putting it down for a bit before I get back to Iceborne.
The cutscene-locked main quest system is stupid for a game that basically forces you into multiplayer lobbies, though.