I can only imagine someone playing just the base game at the point is if they had recently gotten the game not too long ago or otherwise ($$$ to being just a very casual game to play for them they can still enjoy without the packs.)
Compared to how the base game was then to now? It's far better, especially with all all the updates and free extra goodies to it. When I first got the Sims 4 I did enjoy it and what it offered, BUT it was definitely lacking to be a decent base game.
I remember playing the Sims 2 base game for so long before I even decided to buy an expansion.
