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Shenzhen I/O

94%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
94% User Score Based on 2,585 reviews

Platforms

MOMac OSPCPCWinWindowsLinLinuxXboxXbox
Buy Nowfrom $3.95
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About

"Shenzhen I/O is a unique gaming experience that combines circuit building and assembly programming. Players construct electronic devices with components from various manufacturers while following an original manual with datasheets and diagrams. The game also offers a sandbox for creativity, and a solitaire variant for relaxation. A challenging yet rewarding simulation of the engineering world."

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Shenzhen I/O screenshot
Shenzhen I/O screenshot
Shenzhen I/O screenshot
Shenzhen I/O screenshot
Shenzhen I/O screenshot
Shenzhen I/O screenshot
Shenzhen I/O screenshot
Shenzhen I/O screenshot

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,585 reviews
story76 positive mentions
grinding20 negative mentions
  • Engaging and challenging puzzles that require creative problem-solving and optimization.
  • The game provides a unique and immersive experience with a well-designed manual and a humorous storyline told through emails.
  • The included solitaire minigame is highly addictive and serves as a fun distraction between puzzles.
  • The game lacks a proper tutorial, making it difficult for beginners to understand the mechanics without extensive manual reading.
  • Some puzzles can feel overly restrictive due to tight constraints on code lines and board space, leading to frustration.
  • The documentation is incomplete, with some crucial commands not being mentioned until later in the game, which can hinder progress.
  • story
    193 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in the game is primarily conveyed through a series of emails, creating an immersive backdrop that enhances the puzzle-solving experience. Players appreciate the humor and character development within the narrative, which reflects the challenges of working in a Chinese tech company. While some find the story minimal or secondary to the gameplay, many agree that it adds depth and engagement, making the overall experience more enjoyable.

    • “The story is interesting as well, told through a series of company (and spam) emails, and the game manages to perfectly simulate working with incomplete foreign documentation, and the overload of trying to keep up with company emails with important info mixed in with the irrelevant - though in game even the irrelevant spam emails provide a venue for world-building this near-future Chinese tech city and its colorful inhabitants.”
    • “The story progresses as you complete the tasks, and the email-based storyline is a very nice touch, making it feel like you're actually part of a team.”
    • “Shenzhen i/o brings a new level of polish and storytelling to Zachtronics games while keeping the hardcore programming puzzles intact.”
    • “The story is minimal, but it's not really the point of the game.”
    • “The game story is that you're a low-level hardware developer who codes for a Chinese tech company; they get you to work on various small projects, though to be honest, the story is only there as a way to give you a break between the challenges.”
    • “Completing these tasks advances a story of some sort, which is basically work life at a microelectronics company in China.”
  • gameplay
    77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in this title is characterized by its challenging and engaging mechanics, requiring players to solve intricate puzzles through programming and circuit design, reminiscent of previous Zachtronics games like TIS-100. While many players appreciate the depth and satisfaction derived from mastering the mechanics, some find the gameplay repetitive or lacking in variety. Overall, the game offers a rewarding experience for those who enjoy tinkering and problem-solving, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its steep learning curve and specific gameplay style.

    • “You get thrown into the deep end, sink or swim, and learning the mechanics is half the fun!”
    • “The gameplay is challenging, but the satisfaction of finally solving a complex circuit is unbeatable.”
    • “The core gameplay is great, reminiscent of tis-100, but with more fluid connection between nodes and interesting interactivity with customizable outputs and inputs, a bit like SpaceChem.”
    • “It feels like you are fighting the game on a mechanical level.”
    • “This game has some boring gameplay.”
    • “It becomes a struggle against the illogical results of the mechanics, and having no clear avenue for learning 'why' such a strange thing is happening instead of a struggle against knowable mechanics and a continual learning process.”
  • optimization
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization aspect is both a highlight and a source of frustration for players, offering deep and rewarding challenges in problem-solving and micro-optimization. While many enjoy the thrill of refining their solutions to outperform others, the incomplete manual and unclear performance metrics can lead to confusion and difficulty in achieving optimal designs. Overall, the game successfully engages players who relish the complexities of optimization, though it may overwhelm those less inclined to delve into intricate coding and design challenges.

    • “This programming game has really forced me to relearn my optimization.”
    • “The puzzles have a steady curve from ridiculously simple to incredibly frustrating, and creativity is rewarded by discovering more optimized solutions.”
    • “The post-solution optimization is probably my favorite part - it functions as a healthy outlet for that need to streamline code beyond any point of readability.”
    • “It also doesn't help that the manual is incomplete, which causes massive confusion as you're scratching your head as to how other people made a better/more optimized variant than you, but you're unable to see any way of doing it better.”
    • “The real struggle comes with getting every last bit of performance out of your design.”
    • “While I think that TIS-100 had a lot more room for optimizations (so you could spend more time on finding the best possible solution), these optimizations sometimes were quite exhausting if you were trying to minimize the runtime (you had to write a lot of code to make it marginally faster).”
  • music
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its pleasant and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some find it repetitive and suggest more variety, others enjoy its ability to create a relaxing environment conducive to problem-solving. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, complementing its design and gameplay effectively.

    • “Really like the background music, not too intrusive but not too bland either.”
    • “The music is very well suited to the tone of the game - I'd listen to it while working.”
    • “The soundtrack alone might be my favorite takeaway from the game.”
    • “Cons: repetitive music.”
    • “Would be nice if the background music changed while working on a project...?”
    • “This game has only a few background music tracks.”
  • humor
    42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and relatability, featuring amusing dialogue, quirky character interactions, and a humorous manual that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted take on programming and corporate culture, with many finding the backstories and task-related narratives to be genuinely funny. Overall, the game successfully combines challenging puzzles with a comedic atmosphere, making it enjoyable for both programmers and casual players alike.

    • “Plus, the dialogue is full of hilarious references to real-life tech companies.”
    • “The small banter between the employees of 'Shenzhen Longteng Electronics' when you get a new task or complete one is funny, short and well worth the read, never distracting or getting in the way of the core game.”
    • “You receive new puzzles as emails within conversations with your colleagues and these email threads are super funny and awesome!”
  • graphics
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game are generally praised for their clean aesthetics and immersive design, enhancing the overall experience despite being simple and not overly flashy. Players appreciate the visual feedback and user interface, which contribute to a relaxing gameplay atmosphere, while the art style and attention to detail in documentation add depth to the world. Although the visuals may not be groundbreaking, they effectively support the engaging puzzles and mechanics, making for a satisfying experience.

    • “The aesthetics and music are great.”
    • “The game is beautifully made in terms of UI, graphics, crisp sounds, etc.”
    • “Overall, I think that the graphics, the sound, the storyline with this awkward company, the mechanics, everything... they are all great, and the game has so much content.”
    • “Forget about story, visuals, and audio.”
    • “It may not have some jump out at you graphics or high visual cut scenes, but what it lacks in visuals it makes up for with content and thought-provoking puzzles.”
    • “Infinifactory and Ironclad Tactics are good, but Ironclad Tactics is completely different, and the graphics/UI/control of Infinifactory made it more cumbersome to play.”
  • atmosphere
    23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, blending a charming, corporate environment with a cyberpunk aesthetic. Players appreciate the well-crafted narrative delivered through email interactions, which enhances the overall experience and adds depth to the gameplay. The combination of challenging puzzles, a slick user interface, and a fitting soundtrack contributes to a unique and enjoyable atmosphere that resonates with players.

    • “Really nice cyberpunk atmosphere, very dystopian but with some fun.”
    • “Soundtrack, interface, e-mails, tasks, pdf-manual - everything creates a charming atmosphere that you dive in like in a fairy tale.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is also quite great because you’ll feel like a proper employee designing electronics in a Chinese company.”
    • “The main thing it brings over from Infinifactory is a level of polish, which delivers a real theme and atmosphere other than just 'arcane 80's nonsense.'”
    • “Soundtrack, interface, e-mails, tasks, PDF manual - everything creates a charming atmosphere that you dive into like in a fairy tale.”
    • “Between every level is a small email conversation which really adds to the overall atmosphere of the game.”
  • grinding
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game can be quite tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the need for constant counting and redoing tasks. While some players appreciate the challenge and immersive nature of the manual, many find the lengthy instructions and lack of tutorials contribute to a cumbersome experience. Overall, the game strikes a balance between engaging gameplay and moments of tedium, with some players enjoying the satisfaction that comes from overcoming these challenges.

    • “Constantly being 3 instructions short of completion and having to split things up and redo bits is getting very tedious.”
    • “It's just a tedious and frustrating chore.”
    • “All in all, it's tedious to get into, and keeps being tedious at times - but when you figure out how things work it's very satisfying.”
  • replayability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability through its challenging puzzles, which can be optimized for various factors like cost and power usage, encouraging players to explore multiple solutions. The integration of Steam Workshop enhances this aspect further by allowing users to create and share their own puzzles, while competitive elements like leaderboards motivate players to refine their strategies. Overall, the depth of gameplay and the ability to set self-imposed challenges contribute to a highly replayable experience.

    • “Puzzles are highly replayable - you may optimize solutions for price, power usage, etc. Extremely nostalgic if you ever programmed in assembly language.”
    • “Steam workshop integration adds a great deal of replayability.”
    • “The puzzles are challenging on their own, but allow you to play at various self-imposed difficulties, which allows for a ton of replayability.”
    • “Enjoyable storyline with challenging levels and a surprising amount of replayability.”
    • “There are 3 separate categories to optimize for, making each puzzle replayable almost indefinitely.”
    • “As such, it is immensely replayable - you can always challenge yourself to improve the efficiency of your solutions.”
  • emotional
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by its challenges, while others experience a profound sense of satisfaction and accomplishment upon solving puzzles. Despite moments of self-doubt and misery, the game ultimately resonates with players' inner nerds, providing a unique emotional engagement that keeps them invested.

    • “That being said, there's not a single other game that has made me feel so satisfied when I figure out the solution to the puzzle.”
    • “Finishing Opus Magnum made me feel smart.”
    • “This game has made me feel stupid more times than I would like to admit, but scratches a deep itch that my inner nerd never knew it had.”
  • stability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users find the stability of the game to be generally good, especially for an early access title, with only minor glitches reported. The experience is enjoyable, as it streamlines the programming process while minimizing frustrating troubleshooting issues.

    • “This being an early access review, I will need to add that there are some apparent glitches here and there.”
    • “This isn't some buggy zombie survival pipedream.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in the game is highly praised, receiving a perfect score for its depth and engaging storytelling, which keeps players invested. The integration of emails and narratives enhances the experience, reminiscent of classic games while maintaining a modern touch. Overall, the character arcs and story progression are considered top-notch, complementing the challenging puzzles.

    • “10/10 character development; the story is always something to look forward to.”
    • “Top-notch puzzles from Zachtronics, as always. I love all the stories, emails, and character development they put in the game.”
    • “Calls back to old-school games with objectives and character development advanced by email.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “The game offers little in terms of meaningful character growth, leaving me wanting more from the narrative.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is creatively integrated, using fictional advertisements and projects that engage players in a fun and educational manner, making it a unique tool for learning about computer science and machine code.

    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending.”
    • “The in-game purchases are poorly balanced, leading to a pay-to-win environment that detracts from the overall experience.”

Buy Shenzhen I/O

28h Median play time
49h Average play time
5-150h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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