I would really love the features of the packs, but I don't really play with the Occult side of things. Even with Aliens/Mermaids, do you think the packs are worth it?

I haven't played GTW in a while but iirc the aliens are extremely unobtrusive. There's random abductions but I don't think they're very common, at least I've never experienced one w all my hours of playing. The mermaids are a bit more "present" as you'll see them swimming around in Sulani and stuff.

Aliens and Mermaids are only a fraction of those two packs, after years I've rarely played them, but still got quite a lot of those two mentioned packs.

I have never seen aliens or mermaids. They are not occult-focused Expansion Packs at all. You'll be fine.

The only really in your face occult I've seen in the game is Vampires. Avoid that pack if you don't want occults. You'll be fine otherwise.

I don't play occults much either, but Vampires and Realm of Magic get good use in my game - they have some very good build/buy for historical houses.

I prefer aliens, sometimes I play with them.

See, for me, mermaids and aliens are the only occults I liked. I also did like the active jobs, and vacation location, so. Worth it for me. Also, if you use mods, you can also pretty much just disable how many occults spawn in your game and I flat out delete premade occults.

Sadly mermaids get kind of... shafted when it comes to the Occult options in Sims 4. Vampires and Werewolves and Spellcasters get full on perk trees and you can build up your powers. Aliens get some unique options and disguises to mess with Sims. With mermaids they just get a bit annoyed when they're out of water too long, and there's not much more to it than that.

But Sulani is beautiful, even with the missed potential with world building I feel, and Get To Work does add some absolutely crucial gameplay into the game. I'd say they're pretty safe choices to go for.

NOOOOOOOOO! Paka'a is the only worthwhile thing EA has ever made by their own hands! That boy is so precious! D;

Okay let me explain myself further, I only delete occults I'm not into. So mermaids and aliens are fine. Sometimes though I'm merciful and I just humanize everyone in MCCC. Although is it really more merciful to humanize a vampire?

Depends on how you play the game. I've done it. I've also humanized mermaids, aliens and werewolves!

Depends on if they're happy being a Vampire I guess.