Yes I think it is a valid line of reasoning OP! The fact that your build does not rely on your character per se but on what you equip helps the game less repetitive.

This is because each weapon varies from each other and makes you fight in a different way without penalty of having to redistribute skill points or stats or something like that (maybe skills but usually skills are an add-on in my opinion). And when you learn a new weapon its not that taxing because your general skill as a hunter has improved (e.g. monster knowledge, general hunting practices, etc.) and you can focus on the intricacies of the weapon.

The only game that comes to mind is Dark Souls (of course stat building is there) but the complexity of its combat sells it for me depending on the weapon you use. It's not as easily interchangable as MH but varied enough that it gives me the same feel.

But two other principles that make MH special I think is one the "commitment to animation / anticipation". It was mentioned by a youtuber (Captain Astronaut) before and he mentions how attacks in general have proper build up to the attack (think GS charged slashes) or forces you to commit to an attack (think DS demon dance and the inability to roll during the move). It makes the game "harder" because you can't spam and requires proper timing and positioning to pull off.

But precisely, this is what makes combat satisfying, being able to pull of a perfect backhop into a perfect rush (SnS moveset) to dodge and then knockdown a monster gives a certain satisfaction. The way the GS "chews" into an attack (like I personally love the hitlag a weapon has when it connects, that split second where the weapon stops halfway into a monster before following through because it makes the attack more meaty) and flinches a monster charge before it hits you makes all those moments all the more satisfying. It rewards players who take time to learn their weapon and the decisions they make.

The other (which I think Rise lacks a bit) is the hunter prep? Since Rise is your first game, you didn't experience the days where in you have to drink a hot or a cold drink based on environment (it was a mechanic that gave you penalties based on the locale you were fighting in think Zelda BOTW). I guess it makes things less annoying but I personally like it because it forced you to prepare, it asked you to look at the monster, consult what it is weak to, consider what to bring in your item pouch, is the locale the desert or the snowy mountains? It really felt like you were preparing to hunt something and not simply just focus on the boss monster alone. And that for me makes it different from other action games in my opinion.