Finally opened the town hall which seems to be where the game really takes off, so this is a good time to log it I guess.

The most significant upgrade here is the stronger sense of progression, including being able to relocate buildings and change the environment. Long-term goals for the look of your island are actually encouraged by the huge amount of customization, which require money and resources. So idly fishing or chopping trees or visiting random islands can still feel like working toward a goal, and every day it feels like there's something to achieve.

Close second: placing items outside. It's a minor change on paper but kind of transforms the game fundamentally.

And of course every Animal Crossing brings a ton of QOL improvements. My favorites are storage being less tedious and the revamped wardrobe system, which actually makes it fun to change your outfit to suit the time and weather. I barely do that in real life.

I don't know how to rate it. Maybe I'll do it later when I've really explored the terraforming which I still haven't unlocked. For now I think I'm going to be playing this daily for a long time yet.