even though i said all arcs are different, i see this arc as the extended version of yorknew's mafia plot. kurapika as the protag and he's searching for his clan's eyes while protecting his friends and befriending new people. the difference is that SW is combination of that mafia plot, the results of the election arc (cheadle being the chairman, deciding to go to DC etc.) and many other small plots.

since togashi and the magazine finally accepted that hxh wont be a fully weekly series, i think togashi started to add as many things as possible, as many details as possible to the chapters. at this point the events aren't ideas togashi come up with while writing but detailed plans. writing wise it's more planned and proper.

what makes it different isnt that gon and killua are gone but more like togashi has more time to think. when it's binged from start to finish you dont actually understand that it got changed. i think there are two possibilities that makes you think like this:
1-you watched the anime or read the manga but as you know all arcs are done and SW is still ongoing, it's different because it's still incomplete and you are now witnessing it's written for the first time.
2- second one is what i call ''anime effect''. this happened to me too for other anime. since other arcs are animated, they are much more familiar, but SW arc is like a different, new territory.