Taking an island is definitely a good way to get points but if you take an island and don't use it well then you will lose to someone who didn't take an island but filled their home board efficiently and invested in buildings and emigrating.
I have played a couple of games without taking any islands and my scores were always a lot lower than my maximum score when taking an island. Plus exploring islands is half the game so why not take one?
I have played a couple of games without taking any islands and my scores were always a lot lower than my maximum score when taking an island. Plus exploring islands is half the game so why not take one?