The gameplay loop for AC hasn't changed since the primitive days of the GameCube. You get stuck in a never-ending cycle of debt courtesy of Tom Nook, and from there, you work to make Bells, pay off your mortgage, and then you can fill your free time digging up fossils, catching fish, and getting to know your neighbors. In short, it's all the fun of Stardew without all the spreadsheets to ensure your farm is automated to perfection.