History VideoGame / Constructor

* OurZombiesAreDifferent: Ghosts spawn these by polluting the soil of an estate, causing graves to erupt. These living dead will terrorize the local residents and make the police go haywire.

* PsychoForHire: The...[[ShapedLikeItself Psychos]].

** GatlingGood: Machine guns are the best weapon the gangster gets access to. Shotguns deal more damage per hit, but the machine guns' multiple hits mean they do more damage overall.

''Constructor'' was developed for [=MS-DOS=] and released in 1997. The game was ported to the Platform/PlayStation, Platform/MacOS and [[Platform/MicrosoftWindows Windows-native DirectX-3]] the following year. A sequel set in TheRoaringTwenties, ''Constructor: Street Wars'' (''Mob Rule'' in North America) was released, but was not well-liked by fans. A HD remake of the original game was released in May 2017 for Platform/PlayStation4, Platform/XboxOne, Platform/NintendoSwitch, and PC with an enhanced version "Constructor Plus", following in 2019.

''Constructor'' was developed for [=MS-DOS=] and released in 1997. The game was ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, UsefulNotes/MacOS and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows-native DirectX-3]] the following year. A sequel set in TheRoaringTwenties, ''Constructor: Street Wars'' (''Mob Rule'' in North America) was released, but was not well-liked by fans. A HD remake of the original game was released in May 2017 for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, and PC with an enhanced version "Constructor Plus", following in 2019.

** In the first level, all gangsters start with shotguns, you are informed that in future levels gangsters start with knives and they do, provided they are YOUR gangsters, the computer's still start with shotguns.
** In the sequel, ''ALL'' AI opponents' Undesirables inexplicably have access to twice as many abilities as your own - your own Ghosts can't even haunt houses!

* CrapsackWorld: You wouldn't want to live next to ANY of the hideously grotesque caricatures in this game. And the maximum life expectancy is only about 10 years!

* NintendoHard: The game can be quite unforgiving in some ways, you can't select anything while paused, you often don't get a moment to relax, enemy building sites can sprout the moment a spot of your land is free, there's lots of petty conditions that must be satisfied, even lower level tenants can be awkward (students and nerds must have hedgerows and picket fences which aren't strong enough to allow dog kennels to keep out enemy foremen and undesirables, punks won't live next to students)

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* WeaponOfChoice: Gangsters upgrade their weapons by killing opposing units. The hierarchy of weapons is as follows:

** [[KnifeNut Knives]]: The starting weapon after the first level.

''Constructor'' was developed for [=MS-DOS=] and released in 1997. The game was ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, UsefulNotes/MacOS and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows-native DirectX-3]] the following year. A sequel set in TheRoaringTwenties, ''Constructor: Street Wars'' (''Mob Rule'' in North America) was released, but was not well-liked by fans. A HD remake of the original game was released in May 2017 for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, and PC.

* BlackComedy: The games aren't built on this. Gang warfare has never been so hilarious, especially with the Undesirables brought in.

* InstantWinCondition: In the original, destroy an enemy headquarters than you wipe out the enemy instantly, no matter how many properties they own.

* LoadBearingBoss: Wiping out an enemy gang's HQ instantly puts up all of their buildings for sale. Right before every. Single. Building. EXPLODES.

* MakeItLookLikeAnAccident: "Mr. Fixit", the (alleged) repairman, whose repairs coincide with gas explosions and block-levelling plumbing failures.

* NotInMyBackyard: Tenants richer than Punks and Greasers will object to living near factories. Those richer than Nerds will object to Police and other public buildings. All breeding tenants will complain about nearby Undesirables and Mafia headquarters.
** Everybody will complain about 8-foot-tall cockroaches living in nearby houses.

* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: In the sequel, AI opponents' Undesirables inexplicably have access to twice as many abilities as your own - your own Ghosts can't even haunt houses!
* Gangsters gain more powerful weapons as they gain experience, the more dangerous the target the more experience gained for the kill. In the first level all gangsters start with shotguns, you are informed that in future levels gangsters start with knives and they do, provided they are YOUR gangsters, the computer's still start with shotguns.

* UnexpectedlyRealisticGameplay: The world you are in may operate on [[BlackComedy a dark]] RuleOfFunny, but '''always''' be sure to pay your taxes and pay back loans to the bank. If you don't pay taxes, then the city will refuse to sell land to you. If you don't pay loans you can end up in series debt.

** GatlingGood: Machine guns. They the best weapon the gangster gets access to. Shotguns deal more damage per hit, but the machine guns' multiple hits mean they do more damage overall.

''Constructor'' was developed for [=MS-DOS=] and released in 1997. The game was ported to the UsefulNotes/PlayStation, UsefulNotes/MacOS and [[UsefulNotes/MicrosoftWindows Windows-native DirectX-3]] the following year. A sequel set in TheRoaringTwenties, ''Constructor: Street Wars'' (''Mob Rule'' in North America) was released, but was not well-liked by fans. A HD remake of the original game is set for release in February 2017 for UsefulNotes/PlayStation4, UsefulNotes/XboxOne, UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch, and PC.

* RealityEnsues: The world you are in may operate on [[BlackComedy a dark]] RuleOfFunny, but '''always''' be sure to pay your taxes and pay back loans to the bank. If you don't pay taxes, then the city will refuse to sell land to you. If you don't pay loans you can end up in series debt.

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: If you take a closer look at the Slob's wife on the tenant selection screen, you'll notice she has a plaster on her head and a black eye, hinting at DomesticAbuse.

* OurGhostsAreDifferent

** [[KnifeNut Knives]]
** {{Handguns}}
** ShotgunsAreJustBetter
** GatlingGood

Much of the game's strategy comes from its tenant types, all of whom produce different workers and have their own respective quirks. They also tend to complain -- a ''[[UnsatisfiableCustomer lot]]''. Players also have to worry about the omnipotent City Council, which sometimes demands you develop a specific estate within the allotted time. Fail to do so, and you'll be sacked. [[CementShoes Literally]].

A RealTimeStrategy game set in a warped satire of the UK, where real estate is SeriousBusiness. You're put in the role of a building contractor. The object is to build and nurture a thriving neighborhood, with the ultimate goal of putting your rivals out of business.

Also, each of the companies are owned by [[LondonGangster organized crime syndicates]]. That's a bit of a sticky wicket, eh, wot?

Provided they're kept happy, tenants will breed rapidly, swelling your ranks with tomorrow's civil servants -- all of whom are on the take. For instance, producing a General Practitioner grinds your rivals' hospitals to a halt, while having a [[HangingJudge Magistrate]] results in longer jail sentences for undesirables. Think of it as ''Franchise/TheSims'' [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] ''Film/TheDeparted''.

* {{Angrish}}: Although workers, gangsters and undesirables will say a phrase if you click on them, complaining tenants only grunt, groan, squeak, splutter and mutter gibberish.

* DamageIsFire

* GangsterLand

** {{Knives}}

Provided they're kept happy, tenants will breed rapidly, swelling your ranks with tomorrow's civil servants -- all of whom are on the take. For instance, producing a General Practitioner grinds your rivals' hospitals to a halt, while having a [[HangingJudge Magistrate]] results in longer jail sentences for undesirables. Think of it as ''Franchise/TheSims'' [[XMeetsY meets]] ''Film/TheDeparted''.