Developer: Astragon, Weltenbauer. Software Entwicklung GmbH
Publisher: Astragon, Maroot
Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Tested On: PC
Construction Simulator – Review
Probably one of the most popular jobs for a simulator game is working in construction. There is always enough work to be done, from paving a new road to digging holes for repairs or setting up a site for erecting new buildings. In the past, we have tried out Construction Simulator 2 on both PlayStation and Switch and while these were realistic, it just feels like Construction Simulator fairs much better in comparison. In this version, you’ll be treated to a realistic game with attention to detail that doesn’t feel like you are having a second day job.
Story
The story is split up into two starting regions: you can decide on either playing in Europe or the USA. If you start in Europe, your character will be struggling with unemployment and overall low morale, until one event turns your life around. In the USA chapter, you are more focused on getting out of the country-town where you were born, but as you lack the funds to do so, you decide on helping out an old friend as a start to your new career.
In essence, both careers play out the same, you either start with a lengthy tutorial and work your way up to your own company or decide to skip it and just start right away. You are then tasked to do big construction jobs for the city and this is how you build your emporium. Real story segments stop here but this is fine, as the tutorial will give you enough lore to get you started. After that, you are free to do whatever you like.
Graphics
The first thing you will notice about Construction Simulator is that it is a visually decent game. You drive around on a large open map without loading screens and the vehicles you drive all look pretty decent with some attention to detail like various manufacturer decals and the realism of the movement of the various tools like the crane, dozer, loader, etc. Each vehicle can be viewed from the inside or via a third-person view, and every vehicle has a dashboard with working dials. While everything looks quite simplistic, it is greatly appreciated to see some details like the working dials in such a large game.
The game scores the most points visually thanks to how items react when you are building. For example, when you are scooping up dirt, you really see dirt particles fall off and these particles will also be visible on the street when this happens. This is great for immersion and can lead to a chuckle when you ‘accidentally’ make your work environment dirty. While there are many good points, there is sadly no visible damage or general wear and tear when you use your vehicles a lot. This could have been really nice seeing your veteran workhorses in action, rather than always seeing brand-new vehicles.
Sound
Just like the graphics, it feels like enough time was invested into making the game sound good. Your few interactions with your mentor are fully voiced and this adds another layer of realism to the game. During your job assignments, you will hear the many sounds of all vehicles, ranging from the hydraulic crane to the engine revving up to provide you with enough power and pressure to operate it. There is also a radio playing in the background with some generic music, which is appreciated, but the music itself isn’t really memorable.
Gameplay
Construction Simulator is, as the name implies, a simulator for construction work. What makes the game really interesting is that you have a really wide range of different construction jobs available and that you are free to complete these in any order as you see fit. If you are new to the game, then you can follow a lengthy tutorial that teaches you the ins and outs of the various construction jobs in an interesting way. To complete these tasks you will need to get familiar with the large range of different construction vehicles. In Construction Simulator you will find everything available that you would use in real life, from trucks equipped with cranes to forklifts, dozers, and many other vehicles. Controlling these vehicles is also not that complicated as you have the option to show all the controls on the screen and the button layout is very logical, especially if you have previous knowledge from other games.
Once your own company is up and running, you can either start completing large contracts in the town or thicken your wallet by doing some side jobs. The side jobs are mostly smaller tasks that are generally shorter than the career-based contracts. Small contracts can consist of doing simple road works, planting some trees, or building a garage. These jobs are a perfect stepping stone to prepare yourself for a large contract for the main campaign. In the main career, there are four different employers, each with their own wishes, requirements, and influence on the city.
Where Construction Simulator truly shines is in its overall realism while not dragging out mundane jobs. Initially having to dig a hole or flatten a driveway can look like a lot of work, but thanks to the construction vision you can exactly see how well you are doing. The construction vision also makes sure you will not be doing any unnecessary work. For inexperienced players, it is advised to use this mechanic as much as possible, while the more experienced players can complete the game without using it once. Other features to speed the game up are the ability to fast travel around the map and the option to order your items at the store and let them be delivered at the construction site for a small fee. You could always drive there yourself and manually load in the products if you want the real hardcore experience.
Conclusion
Construction Simulator is a highly realistic game that delivers a balanced experience between realism and fun. The game offers a lot of freedom to complete contracts, and you can choose to do many things manually or have a few tasks done for you. The controls feel intuitive and as you can have the buttons shown on the screen at all times, it makes the game accessible to a broader range of players and to those who come back to the game after a long break. The construction view also makes it easier for newcomers to ease into things. The various jobs in the game provide a real challenge for those who want to do it right. Visually the game looks decent, but we would have preferred if vehicles would show some wear and tear. While the graphics left us with mixed feelings when it came to the vehicles, the sound effects were simply on point. This whole package makes Construction Simulator a good title if you want to enjoy some construction work to blow off some steam while not having to go to a construction site yourself.
Construction Simulator – Review,
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