Review - Construction Simulator & Stadium Expansion

Developer: weltenbauer. Software Entwicklung GmbH

Publisher: astragon Entertainment

Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Xbox Series X|S

Review system: PlayStation 5

Tonka Tough

Remember playing in the sand as a kid? The big yellow trucks, scooping up rocks and sand, throwing just the right amount of water on the sand to get that good building mud. Construction Simulator gives you that same nostalgic feeling (only now in our 30’s). Construction simulator puts you in the driver's seat of all your favorite big rigs. Follow the storyline mode and progress by finishing tasks. The more tasks you finish the more money you make and the better equipment you’re able to purchase. Now if you don't like to follow orders and want to roam around don't worry, your objectives will be visible at all times and you can take a few moments and roam around if you'd like. Whether you're familiar with construction terms or are new to it altogether won't change your experience. Those who are familiar can have fun doing what they like to do best without having to leave the comfort of their home. To those who may be new to it you're able to learn the machine and how they work without the fear of messing up. Everything from fixing underground pipes to moving HUGE hotel letters from building to building. Flatbeds, Cranes, Compactors, Bulldozers, and any other big mobile machines you can think of.

Stadium Frenzy

At this point, I'm sure you're asking yourself, could this game get any cooler? The answer is yes! There are plenty of DLCs you can tac on Construction Simulator. Today we are going to focus on the latest one and to all my soccer fans you may want to stick around. The latest expansion takes place in Friedenberg. This job is a tad different than the rest. Still utilizing all your newfound knowledge and heavy machinery but instead of your average build, you'll be taking on a STADIUM! You heard me right, in this expansion you'll be piecing together a full-size stadium where the Friedenberg soccer club hosts their opponents for games. Everything from the bridge to get to the stadium safely, to the entrance, even the VIP lounges.

The best part of Construction Simulator is how thorough the process is. It's not as simple as show up and build. You have to put in the time, blood, sweat, and tears! Some cases the materials will be at the construction site and in others you'll need to make the trip to purchase them. If you do find yourself having to purchase them you'll have a few options on how you'd like to transport the materials. You can choose to have them delivered to your warehouse or you can choose to have them delivered to your construction site ( for a fee of course). Another example of how much thought was put into this game is the use of the proper machine. You can't just show up in a small load-bearing flatbed. You'll need to take a look at what vehicle is recommended for the job that's in progress. Now let's say you're new to the game and your fleet is not as extensive as you'd like. There is a dealership that has every machine you'd need available for purchase. Just starting out means the wallet might be a little dry so taking on a task that requires a bigger machine means there will need to be bigger funds in the wallet. Again this allows for you to choose how you'd like to play the game. You can take on a side job and make some quick money to buy the vehicle you're needing. On the contrary, you can rent a vehicle (my favorite method) for a per-day fee. This allows you to get the machine needed for the job while at the same time-saving funds for any other equipment or materials that may be needed later in the job.

Now there's always an opportunity to be better. With Construction Simulator I found myself battling with the camera angles frequently. You are able to control how near or how far you are from your character. You can also control your view while driving if you want a first-person pov or a third-person pov. My quarrel comes when it's time to pick up, drop, scoop, reverse, pretty much anything when you're actually constructing. The camera seems to move automatically based on proximity to other items or by driving forward and backward. For instance, if I were trying to pick up an item with a crane I can not move the camera to my liking. Instead, there is a reticle on the floor that you use to guide you closer or further from the piece you need. I would like to be able to move the camera so I can see closer or from a different angle and that would make it much easier to get the pieces I'm trying to move or scoop etc.

Besides the satisfaction of finishing your own building or fixing a broken pipeline, you're not doing this for nothing. In addition to a nice payout for jobs, you will receive skill points that will allow you to raise certain attributes that help you on your construction journey. Bucket capacity, how fast your crane moves, fuel/wear and tear efficiency, and even your character's fitness are just a few things that you can put the points towards. Once you've gotten your bearings and you’re knocking out jobs left and right you will start to get some useful upgrades to make it that much easier on you. Things like construction helper, mechanic, loans from the bank, and more space to park more vehicles at your yard.

Verdict/Conclusion

As a fan of simulator games, I can say this definitely ranks in the top five for me. There's a great attention to detail which really sets this one apart from the others. Great visuals, great jobs to complete, and the stadium expansion was amazing to play through. I spent hours picking up materials and dropping them off, moving to the next task and nothing felt better than leaving the job site and seeing a fully built stage or in this case a STADIUM! I will definitely be trying more expansions and some of the other titles offered!

CONSTRUCTION SIMULATOR IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.