At the point that this released in the Sims 4 ecosystem, this of course being right at the start of game, Outdoor Retreat is a very fun, if a little bit of foreshadowing for what would come. As a concept, game packs are a good idea, offering more tiers of packs for those who do not want to spend as much money on expansions, but want more then stuff packs. This one in particular being a great first entry to that idea. Offering a new destination, lots, collectables, activity's, and lots of charming camping/outdoorsy themed build items. However this was also the first example of EA's trend to break up older packs ideas, into multiple sims 4 packs. This one of course being a broken off part of older packs such as Vacation, and Bon-Voyage; and while yes this did this same thing a little bit in the sims 3, compared to the content of Island Paradise or World Adventures, this seems lacking. Regardless, its a good first pack, and something that while not providing constant mechanics that could be said to be "essential," it is fun for a while.