– Advertisement –
Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion adds 20 hours of building madness to the core game. I reviewed the base title in 2022 and scored it an 8/10. Here is a summary of my thoughts. “If you adore the genre, this will tick every box. With masses of things to do, plenty of machines to master, and a deep management model to explore, it is incredible. I have few complaints, and therefore, I can easily recommend you to buy it!”.
Needless to say, I was excited to jump back into the construction industry to see what this new DLC offered. Unfortunately, my save was no longer available, so I wasted a fair few hours getting myself to the DLC elements. However, this wasn’t so bad as I was able to familiarise myself with the fundamentals and redo each fun mission.
This ultra-realistic simulation title was developed by Weltenbauer and published by Astragon Entertainment GmbH. Furthermore, it is a solo third-person experience. This may annoy gamers who enjoy first-person perspectives, but it didn’t bother me at all. I liked the external camera position and the clear markers to complete each task at hand.
Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion has a fun plot.
I’m a sucker for a sim game with a decent story. Thankfully, Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion ticks this box. It has 5 main story elements and a handful of generic contracts to complete. Alongside this, there are plenty of plant machines to drive and loads of miscellaneous tasks to follow. As such, there is plenty to keep you busy as you improve your company.
I was a fan of the story but the acting was wooden. The lack of emotion and the inability to refer to the protagonist with the correct pronouns made me laugh repeatedly. I’m not sure why the developer allows you to create a character only for the dialogue not to match up. It was a strange choice, but one that lightens the mood throughout.
Balance the books.
The gameplay demands that you build your business slowly. Expansion is tedious but there is a realistic edge that I appreciated. As you complete each job, you are awarded cash and XP. The money is required to hire equipment and buy materials. Moreover, you’ll need to pay for repairs and fuel. Thankfully, it isn’t that challenging to earn a good wage and your bank balance flourishes as a consequence. XP is a little tougher to collect and levelling up your character takes time and effort. Yet, once you start moving through the ranks, your skills become stronger and each task is easier to execute.
Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion focuses on the revival of the town and a new tourist attraction. The massive stadium is tackled across the 5 core missions and it was fascinating watching everything come together. Much of the 20-hour gameplay revolves around this task and I liked the familiar mechanics and the enormous project that you undertake.
Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion looks rough.
Visually, Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion isn’t that pretty. The textures are rough and items, cars, and trucks appear out of nowhere. Alongside this, items clip through solid objects, and the trees and other surrounding elements appear flat and lifeless. This was disappointing as I hoped a new DLC would have a slightly polished edge. Though the graphics don’t detract from the action, they are tough to look at.
The audio isn’t much better. The basic sound effects rumble away whilst you execute each task. The noise of the engines and the scrape of a bucket on the floor are perfectly suitable. Yet, it’s the constant noise that is tough to swallow. Every element of this game requires high-powered machinery. Subsequently, there is no respite and your ears will hate the continuous drone. On top of this, the acting is laughable and the developers could have done much better.
The controls are okay.
The gameplay is broken down into 2 key aspects; exploration and construction. The latter option is fantastic. The control system is well explained and completing every job was fun. Furthermore, a helpful UI and tutorial keep you on top of each job. The exploration elements are weak and cumbersome. Steering your truck is painful and you’ll spend more time crashing into walls or other vehicles than you’d like. As such, the control system could have been much better.
20 hours of additional gameplay is great value for money. Despite the poor driving controls and the woeful aesthetics, Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion is a great addition to the core game. 11 main missions and contracts will keep you busy and the ideas integrate nicely with the original story. Consequently, this has plenty of replay value and longevity.
Construction Simulator Stadium Expansion is a decent addition.
Despite its shortcomings, this base game and DLC are extremely good examples of the simulation genre. Moreover, the ability to drive massive machines and build monstrous projects is something I couldn’t resist. Subsequently, I like this expansion and I recommend buying it here! Can you improve the fortunes of the town? Complete every contract, hire the correct equipment, and build that stadium ASAP.
