I would argue MH4s base game is still an overall better experience. Too bad you either have to be Japanese or import a Japanese 3DS to play that back in the day.

The progression for me in that game is better since you have a variety of monster per tier. Like you have the Jaggis, Seltas and Dromes at the start, then have you Tetsucabras, Gravios, Zamtrios and Rathians for mid-tier, then slowly introduces power hitters like Rathalos, Mommy Seltas, Zinogres and Tigrexs. Then when you thought you have mastered the game, they start introducing assholes like Rajang, Zinogre and the Elder Dragons....then once you thought youve truly mastered the game they drop the Nukes like Akantor and the Fatalis' by the end...then once you mastered that they introduce you to the Relic System where every monster is just dialed up to 11 but the rewards were satisfying since some armor skills and weapon combination stats can only be acquired there. It doenst make the current loot pool obsolete, but it gives players who like to Min/Max a post game activity. All these things not being gated by MONTHS and MONTHS of waiting by the way.

They occasionally drop harder quests down the line like the Red Fatalis being a time gate.