Monster Hunter Freedomis a Japan-exclusive version of Monster Hunter G, a sequel of sorts to the original Monster Hunter, more of a director's cut. While much of the game mirrors the Playstation 2 original, there have been a host of additions.
There are now more quests, more monsters, more weapons, more armor, and more areas around the city to use to your advantage.
He now has a farm that is located on the outskirts of the city. You will have access to some mining veins, places to catch bugs, a fishing dock, and a garden.
This means you can now collect materials when you're between missions, which doesn't eliminate the need to collect things while you're hunting, but it does make it less of a hassle. Another extra area is the training school.