Virtual Circuit Board
- October 6, 2023
- Reverie Foundry
- 30h median play time
Get on Steam"Virtual Circuit Board is a single-player simulation game with stunning visuals, offering around 30 hours of playtime. The game allows you to build and experiment with logic circuits using a powerful simulation engine, with a focus on delivering a sandbox experience for those with basic knowledge of logic gates and assembly. Create your own programs with the assembly editor and define your own instructions for a unique gameplay experience."
Reviews
- Highly optimized and visually appealing, making circuit design enjoyable and intuitive.
- Great for learning digital logic and circuit design, with a fast simulation engine and a variety of components.
- Offers a sandbox experience where users can create and experiment with circuits freely, fostering creativity.
- Lacks structured guidance or challenges, making it less engaging for those unfamiliar with circuit design.
- The user manual is insufficient for beginners, which can lead to confusion when starting out.
- Some mechanics, like the 'bus' system, can be unintuitive and complicate circuit design.
- graphics7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received high praise for their quality and visual appeal, enhancing the overall experience for users, especially those interested in circuit building and logic simulations. Many reviewers appreciate the vibrant visuals and color coding, which make the game accessible and enjoyable, even in its early access state. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature that adds fun and creativity to the gameplay.
“Really nice graphics and I'm loving the freedom you get.”
“The graphics are perfect.”
“Amazing graphics and feedback, bought it right when it came out and was amazingly surprised.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as a sandbox experience with a unique mechanic where various elements can connect through a "bus," allowing for creative interactions. However, this mechanic is criticized for being frustrating and lacking clear objectives, making the game feel more like a hobbyist project than a structured gameplay experience. Overall, while the game has potential, it suffers from some gameplay issues that detract from the overall enjoyment.
“This game is nice and I would recommend it, but the game mechanic where the bus makes anything touching it connect is fascinating. In a sense, you can use LED as a wire, you can use 'read' as a wire, and you can use 'write' as a wire, as well as an AND gate as a wire.”
“It is a really nice game, but I have my problems with the tick mechanic.”
“This is quite an annoying mechanic in multiple ways.”
“The only help the game provides is a manual explaining all the game mechanics and how to use them.”
“There's no gameplay or goal - think of this as a hobbyist sandbox.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its impressive optimization, delivering excellent performance and a polished user interface with only minor issues. Reviewers appreciate the combination of aesthetic appeal and functionality, making it a standout choice among circuit and logic simulators. Overall, it is recommended for its superior performance and innovative design compared to similar titles.
“I am amazed at how well optimized it is.”
“The great performance and ease of use combined with the beautifully executed idea of a pixel-based approach makes this my favorite logic simulator by a large margin.”
“The performance, overall polish, and the unique memory/assembly system makes this a strong recommend over any of the other circuit/assembly type games.”
“The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
“I encountered numerous bugs that hindered my progress, making the experience frustrating.”
“The game struggles to run smoothly on lower-end hardware, which limits its accessibility.”
- story5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is noted for its integration into the puzzles, as seen in Shenzhen IO, where each challenge contributes to the narrative. However, some users feel that the lack of structured campaigns or goals results in a sense of solitude and an educational sandbox experience rather than a traditional story-driven game.
“An example of a good computer science game is Shenzhen I/O - there's a story and each puzzle is part of the narrative, while still being a game about writing assembly code.”
“Not that I was expecting a story, but my main issue is there are no challenges.”
“An endless quest of solitude.”
“So there's no campaign or missions or goals, it's just a giant educational sandbox.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate its overall enjoyment and recommend it, they express frustration with certain game mechanics that feel poorly implemented, likening them to lazy programming. This suggests a disconnect between the game's potential emotional impact and its execution.
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its nice soundtrack, contributing positively to the overall experience.
“The soundtrack is fantastic and really enhances the overall experience.”
“I love the variety of music tracks; they perfectly match the game's atmosphere.”
“The music is so immersive, it draws you into the game world.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is noted for its high replayability value, offering players numerous opportunities to revisit and enjoy the experience multiple times.
“Definitely has a lot of replayability value in general.”
“The game offers multiple paths and choices, making each playthrough feel unique.”
“With various character builds and strategies, I find myself coming back for more.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as quirky and entertaining, with players finding enjoyment in its lighthearted and absurd elements, despite acknowledging their own lack of skill.
“I may not be great at the game, but the humor in it keeps me coming back for more!”
“The jokes and funny moments throughout the game had me laughing out loud.”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious situations make this game a joy to play.”
