Hardware Engineering

About

"Hardware Engineering" is a digital circuit design game that introduces players to digital engineering concepts, starting from basic logic components and progressing to more complex ones. The game features four modes, including a tutorial and design mode, and tests the outputs of design efforts through a list of tasks. With no prior knowledge required, players can progress from basic to college level expertise in electronic design and programming through practical practice.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

44%

Audience ScoreBased on 312 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

stability28 negative mentions

The game has a great concept and potential for learning about digital circuits and logic design.
Some users found the gameplay mechanics rewarding and educational, especially for those interested in electronics.
The developers have been responsive to feedback and have made efforts to fix issues in the game.

The game is currently unplayable due to server shutdowns, resulting in a black screen on launch.
Many users reported bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including issues with the interface and circuit simulations.
The game requires an online connection to function, which has led to frustration among players when servers are down.

stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and incomplete simulations that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users express frustration over the game's performance, including freezing issues and unresponsive mechanics, leading to a general consensus that it was released in a problematic state. While some players see potential in the game's concept, the overwhelming sentiment is that it remains a "buggy mess" that requires substantial improvements.
- “It's obvious that it was released in a buggy state that frustrated a lot of people (even though it's an early access title), and it's still too buggy now, but as an engineering game/simulator it's unbeatable for me.”
- “Game is in a meh state, buggy, and has weak support from devs. I was never able to get any circuit to complete its simulation; others acknowledge these types of problems, but devs seem to just dismiss them.”
- “I got this and it looks interesting, but most things don't work for me. Most of the time, simulations don't complete and just stay stuck without indicating if there is an error in my circuit or not. I can't finish levels, and the whole game freezes for up to 30 seconds when I remove wires. This shouldn't be happening on an i5 4460 and a GTX 750 Ti that runs and renders 8K images on SolidWorks and 1080p Sony Vegas Pro 13, Adobe Premiere Pro, and After Effects without a problem, so I have requested a refund on this game but I might go back to it in a few months if it has been improved.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The gameplay is generally praised for its rewarding and engaging mechanics centered around building and testing circuits, offering a mix of simplicity and challenge. However, some users find the wiring system confusing and the performance lacking, leading to frustration and requests for refunds. Overall, while many appreciate the core gameplay experience, there are notable concerns regarding the execution of certain mechanics.
- “It was a rewarding experience as its gameplay is flawless.”
- “Almost all of the gameplay consists of interpreting instructions, dragging components into the workspace, connecting them with wires, and testing whether the solution works.”
- “This is a game where the core gameplay is literally building and testing circuits, so I would expect the tools to be on par with, for example, the CircuitVerse sandbox.”
- “Almost all of the gameplay consists of the following: interpreting instructions, then dragging a whole bunch of components into the workspace, connecting these with wires, and then testing whether the solution works.”
- “This is a game where the meat and potatoes of the gameplay is literally building and testing circuits, so I would expect the tools to be on par with, for example, the CircuitVerse sandbox.”
- “The wiring mechanic is confusing; instead of just dragging the little nodes on the components to the input of another component, you have to draw wires between them manually by hitting 'W'. The performance and game mechanics are pretty bad, and it doesn't reliably simulate circuitry. The wiring made me request my refund.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
56%
25%
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users experiencing severe performance issues and others reporting no problems at all, even on older hardware. Many reviewers express concern over the game's poor optimization, citing lag and crashes, while a few hope for future updates to address these issues. Overall, the game's performance appears inconsistent, leading to frustration among players.
- “No performance issues whatsoever here at all.”
- “It's working fine for me with none of the performance issues that were mentioned in some of the other reviews.”
- “I hope this game gets both the attention and optimization (bug fixes for everyone) that it deserves/needs.”
- “But I cannot recommend it because of the extremely bad optimization.”
- “It seems like this is a poorly written and unoptimized program that, while it is a good idea, is worthless if it simply does not work and fails to even start.”
- “Ugh, the performance of this game is terrible; it's so unoptimized it lags with an AMD 8350 overclocked to 4.2 GHz and GTX 560.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game has received negative feedback, with many players finding the retro minimal techno soundtrack irritating and clunky. Additionally, the lack of options to adjust or mute the music has frustrated users, further detracting from their overall experience.
- “You'll also have to find settings and disable the clunky retro minimal techno soundtrack because it's about as irritating as the writing.”
- “I somehow dislike the background music sometimes.”
- “Tl;dr - the game has no options menu to change resolution, aspect ratio, or to mute the music.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking in value, with repetitive tasks like placing wires contributing to a frustrating experience.
- “It is just a tedious process and does not add any value.”
- “Placing the wires is tedious.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in this tool is described as a delightful addition to its educational content, making the experience of learning about logical gates and processors both funny and engaging. Users appreciate the combination of simple mechanics with challenging levels, enhancing the overall enjoyment without a hefty price tag.
- “It is not actually a game; it is a great logical gates and processors tutorial tool with a sense of humor and lots of potential.”
- “Simple mechanics but with challenging levels, it is funny and exciting for your mind. It is also not so expensive, so buy it now!”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics performance of the game is criticized for being subpar, as users report significant struggles with basic tasks like placing and removing items, even on high-end hardware such as a 4GHz processor and a 1080 graphics card. This indicates potential optimization issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “Running a 4GHz processor and a 1080 graphics card, the game still struggles like hell to place and remove wires, place items, and so on.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story mode offers a compelling and natural progression, allowing players to create a wide variety of elements that enhance the overall narrative experience.
- “You can create countless different things, and the story mode allows for a very interesting, natural progression.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the monetization model, highlighting that the game is heavily laden with advertisements, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “Instead of the game starting, this junk displays advertisements!”
- “Instead of the game starting, this junk displays advertisements!”