No. IP was my favourite TS3 pack, and I had high hopes for its TS4 version. Since launch day I've yearned for it. The feature I was most excited for was scuba diving. TS4's art style is perfect for it - instead of purely realistic diving spots, more fantasy spots would fit in perfectly and transport us to a whole new underwater world.
TS4 "scuba diving" is a rabbit hole. Punch to the face.
I don't like the theme of the world, having wanted a Tiki theme. Sulani is beautiful, but when I heard it was Polynesian, all I could think was "Moana is popular so they want to make money by attracting its fans." There's a Tiki bar in the game and JA explored Mayan temples and artifacts. IL could have been so much more interesting imo if it had a hidden Tiki temple, maps and mysteries rather than one of the core selling points of the pack being glorified ghosts and "fun facts," and it would have expanded the game better by forming coherence with existing DLC.
I don't expect IL to be an exact replica of IP, but seriously. Who thought that resorts should not come with this pack. In an EP so utterly devoid of gameplay, resorts would have made it worthwhile. I am 99% sure that they didn't add it bc they thought they'd make more money if they sold it seperately. I am disgusted. It is not simply a step down from IP, it is a disgrace. All the gameplay is tied to the world, but even then there is barely any. My only motivation for sending sims here on vacation is for the beach. There is nothing else to explore.
At least if there was a hidden Tiki temple I could send my sims adventuring. If there were resorts, I could run my dream resort, not simply build a rental lot and visit it. If there were shell jewelry and crafts as well as more beach-y collectables, I could run a cute, airy beach hut shop with GTW. If there was proper scuba diving, I could spend real-life hours simply being enchanted by the beauty and mystery of the ocean - I love it dearly but am too terrified to scuba dive in real life. Taking underwater pics myself would also open up a lot of creative possibilities, as well as integrate with the marine biology career.
If there were some nice activities like games (Gnubb set; how low can you go), more hobbies (taxidermy of fish, Spongebob Squarepants shop style; crafting jewelry from shells and pearls) and less empty careers (lifeguard not being a rabbit hole), this pack would actually be useful even when not playing in Sulani.
If ALL WORLDS had swimmable water, we would 1) be able to enjoy swimming more overall, 2) have more use for floaties and boats and 3) have more use for mermaids. If IL included the ability to turn swimming pools into custom aquariums via a special water paint ("fish habitat water") and the ability to stock fish into them, 1) a wealth of creative possibilities would be opened (ex. shark tank villain lair) and 2) mermaids would make more sense outside of Sulani, having a secret habitat they can feel home in no matter where they live.
Mermaids could have gotten more special recipes to make them feel unique. Take inspiration from movies like Barbie Mermadia: kelp kebabs, seaweed sandwiches, coral cupcakes, sand dollar cookies etc. Crafts with shells and starfish could have doubled as a way to unlock more mermaid bras. Mermaids could have gotten more interactions with fish in bowls and aquariums.
I could seriously talk forever about features that could have made IL better, but it's useless bc I don't see the devs updating it - at least not to add substantial improvements. I do want this pack eventually, purely so I can rebuild it to better fit the aesthetic I wanted, but I'm waiting for it to be 75% off. I refuse to pay more for it.
So, rental lots: I'm happy we got them, and I will use them in IL. However, they do not improve IL for me at all, since the EP itself infuriates me with its (to use a euphemism) lacklusterness.
