Thanks for the great comment @mikedynamo. I've been thinking a great deal on that narrative difference in other open-worlders and it's actually very refreshing to play MHW without what ultimately amounts to very little variance (and I say this as a big fan of all 3 of those games) in story.
And this is totally separate but a giant hammer slam to the face of a Rathalos is oh-so-satisfying. Much more than a Fallout mini-nuke.
RE: Live Out Your Brutal Fantasies: Monster Hunter World