One difference that I actually find very funny between The Forest and Sons of The Forest is that in The Forest you need a certain level of insanity to be able to start using the bodies of cannibals to make totems and more complex decorations.
Whereas in Sons of the Forest on day one you can put a stick and plant a head there, no insanity level, no need to get specific materials for it to work or not
It amuses me because it implies that while Eric LeBlanc has to reach a breaking point in his sanity to consider using bodies to make constructions, Jack Holt does it because he feels like it without any remorse. Sure, it's a whole passive defense mechanism against cannibals who approach the camp, but are you telling me that Jack woke up one day and said, "I'm going to impale the heads of my enemies to show them who's boss"?
And also sure, I know it has more to do with the building mechanics in The Forest being more rigid; you can't just put a stick in the ground and hang limbs on it. My point has more to do with the whole insanity mechanic and how it seems like Jack Holt just arrived on the island already being fucked up while Eric had to think about it a bit before reaching that point xd