7.7

Construction Simulator

This is a realistic simulation title, developed by Weltenbauer and published by Astragon Entertainment GmbH. Moreover, it makes use of financial and business management mechanisms and it has a rich and rewarding story to discover. This version of Construction Simulator is much larger than its predecessors and contains an abundance of real-life brands.

Now I love simulation games because they're fascinating and all-consuming animals. Normally, however, I lose interest because they become too complicated and too fast. Fortunately, Construction Simulator does not fall into this category. Instead, the in-depth gameplay is always manageable and interesting, but extremely time-consuming. Consequently, this is not an informal experience!

Thanks to the 2 unique locations with 2 different stories there is plenty to see and do. You can visit a German inspired village or a stereotypical city in America. Both locations offer a wide range of tasks to complete, some fantastic orientation points to discover and some interesting characters to help.

The goal of the game is simple; run your business, make profits and help each city to flourish. On the way rent or buy new equipment, learn new skills, improve your hero and create fantastic buildings.

I felt like I'd like Construction Simulator, but I wasn't sure how much I'd like it. Thanks to the uncomplicated gameplay, easy to control mechanics and great machines I was addicted. Almost immediately I was amazed at how realistic and balanced it was. Then I was never overwhelmed or frustrated at any time. No, instead of plowing I'm gone and finished I've been doing every job as I improved my company.

Your career revolves around the most important contracts that need to be filled out. These jobs are often long-winded and complex and test your skills. However, they are also extremely rewarding if you complete them. If you do this, you get more tasks as you are rewarded with XP and money to buy goods and new machines.

No construction game would be complete without some huge brands and large machines. With more than 90 vehicles offered you have choice over. You can compact loose soil, flat-roll dirt, dig huge holes, lift heavy goods, build new roads and more. In addition, you will enjoy using some of the best brands offered; Bobcat, BELL, Kensworth, Caterpillar and more.

It's really fascinating to master some of the best machines. However, what is really spectacular is that the developers do not focus on time-consuming elements. Then you can choose how much time you want to invest. If you want, you can drive to any work location for a fee or simply travel fast. This was phenomenal because you don't have to waste time moving machines. This is particularly important in carrying out complex tasks. This is where you use a lot of equipment and it would quickly become exhausting. Fortunately, the fast travel option keeps things moving and the action flowing.

The same approach applies to each building material. If you want, you can manually lift any item on trailers and transport it to any construction site. However, if this does not appeal to you, you can have the construction site deliver each item to save time. This is how every simulation title should perform, because it retains realism without unnecessary and annoying noise.

Unlike his colleagues, Construction Simulator lacks a high quality finish. This doesn't mean it's terrible to look at, because it's not. However, it is a bit rough at the edges, the film is missing shine and the background is not as realistic as I had hoped. Yet it is a feast for the eye, while it is colorful and fun to discover. I especially liked the stereotypical locations and the variation in building designs and backgrounds.

Oddly enough, the audio has an energetic and aggressive side. Besides, it had an undertone of danger and risk, and it didn't work. I would have preferred to have a selection of basic songs on a radio in the cab. This would have been perfect, because it would have been more realistic. Speaking of realism, the sound effects are fantastic. The roaring of the engines, scraping metal on the ground and grinding wheels on the asphalt was great. This part of the audio was incredible and I never got tired of it.

I expected Construction Simulator to be an absolute minefield. With so many machines to use, I doubt I'd master them all. But fortunately an excellent tutorial guides you through the basics. In addition, the fantastic user interface and well-labelled submenus ensure that you never choose the wrong equipment.

Simulation games are known for their replay value. Luckily, this is no different. With 2 huge maps to explore, 90+ vehicles to try, 90 contracts to complete and much, much more, this will swallow you up in its virtual world. In addition, there is a huge list of performance to devour, and you also enjoy multiplayer action for up to 4 players.

If you like the genre, this will tick any box. With masses of things to do, lots of machines to control and an in-depth management model to explore, it's incredible. I have few complaints, and therefore I can easily recommend you to buy it here! Can you run a perfect construction company? Get your tools, rent some machines and let your surroundings shine.

However, there is a minus point, and that is that you cannot build freely. E.g. via a sandbank that you can build your own complete city Miss is gonna be in Construction Simulator later, let's hope so. I think it's a super fat game. Easy but also educational.