PC Building Simulator – Free Download on Steam

This week, I decided to finally explore a game that had been sitting on my list for far too long: PC Building Simulator. Released in 2018 by The Irregular Corporation, this unique title claims to blend education with entertainment, offering players a chance to learn the intricacies of building a computer in a virtual setting. At first, I was skeptical. How engaging could a game centered on assembling a PC really be? After all, my personal experience with building computers was driven by the thrill of gaming, not by the act of construction itself. Nevertheless, I was curious to see if PC Building Simulator could provide a compelling experience beyond the mere act of gameplay. With that in mind, I dove in to see what this Epic Games project had to offer.

The premise is simple: you run a small IT workshop where customers bring in their computers for repairs or upgrades. Your tasks include diagnosing issues, ordering parts, and assembling machines, all while managing budgets and customer expectations. As you progress, the challenges become more intricate, introducing new mechanics and requiring a deeper understanding of components.  Join me as I delve into the nuances of gameplay, the challenges of running a virtual IT shop, and whether this title lives up to its promise of being both educational and entertaining.

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PC Building Simulator review

This week I decided it was time to tackle my list of games that have been waiting for their moment. One of the most recent additions to the list is PC Building Simulator, a 2018 game from The Irregular Corporation that promises to combine education and entertainment by teaching us how to build a computer in a video game format.

To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. How fun could a game based on the task of building a gaming computer be? When I built my PC, the reward was the sheer enjoyment of gaming. Could PC Building Simulator offer more than just “playing a game”? Despite my doubts, I decided to give this project from Epic Games a try.

The challenge

Here’s the gist: In PC Building Simulator, you run a small IT shop where you service and build computers for customers, earning money and growing your business. The basic gameplay involves checking your email for orders, receiving computers, diagnosing problems, ordering and installing parts, and sometimes installing software or performing other maintenance tasks before returning the machines to customers.

As the game progresses, the tasks become more complex, introducing new mechanics or becoming less clear. Customers may request “upgrades” or send in broken systems without knowing what the problem is.

1. Run an IT workshop, assembling and servicing computers.
2. Check orders, diagnose problems, and install parts.
3. Tasks become more complex, and customers may request “upgrades”.
4. Consider customers’ budgets and component preferences.
5. Progress depends on your level and online customer reviews.

Everyone has a budget, and you need to stick to it without installing the latest components like the 3090 Ti. Some customers are very specific about their preferences, like their favorite part manufacturer or cable color, and may be upset if you use used components.

Your progress is limited by two factors. First, access to parts in the game’s online shop is dependent on your level. As you level up, you unlock better manufacturers and advanced technologies. Second, when customers receive their upgraded computers, they leave reviews online that affect your star rating, which determines which orders are available to you. This adds variety to the missions and components you’ll encounter as you play.

The toolset

The game offers several different perspectives on the entire process. At its most basic level, you play as a first-person technician, moving around your office between shelves, workbenches, and your desk. Your email and online store are accessed via your computer. At the end of the hallway is an exit door that you can click to open your calendar and move on to the next day. This adds a strategic element: Have you done all you can today? Are your customer orders on time? And what delivery speed should you choose from the parts store to make them?

The game’s main focus, however, is on assembling computers. Once you’ve moved the system to your desk, you can disassemble it and play with the internal components. You’ll install new parts, remove viruses (i.e. install an antivirus from a USB stick and run a scan), clean dusty PCs with compressed air, and use the 3Dmark tool to test gaming systems. Some customers, as the game’s name suggests, will even ask you to build a PC from scratch.

The PCs in PC Building Simulator are well-rendered, satisfying the needs of techies, with plenty of real parts depicted in decent detail. Controls are as user-friendly as possible: to remove a part, you click on it, then hold down the mouse button to unscrew each screw. Probably the most troublesome task is cleaning the PC, which requires selecting compressed air and holding down the mouse button to spray it across the case. Dust disappears in areas that are loosely related to your actions, which can be annoying when you’re trying to remove the last component.

It’s also worth noting that it’s not always clear where exactly a part needs to be installed – for example, there may be multiple drive bays, and the game expects you to use a specific one. Additionally, you need to make sure that each PC you work on can boot into the operating system, which requires connecting a power cable, monitor, keyboard, and mouse (the system won’t boot without these). This can become monotonous after a few tasks, but you’ll be doing it throughout the game.

The difficulty

As I mentioned, the difficulty of the jobs increases as you progress, and customers start asking for more complex work or diagnostics. However, at least in the volume I played, nothing was too difficult: it all boils down to ordering a new part, removing screws, and installing the right components in place. Even when the customer doesn’t know what the problem is, there are often obvious clues – such as a “CPU not found” message in the BIOS when trying to boot.

• The complexity of tasks increases, customers demand more complex work.
• The main task is to manage resources and fulfill orders quickly.
• Limited space requires efficient processing of customer PCs.
• Consolidate orders to save on shipping parts.
• Use the ability to test several PCs simultaneously.

So the main challenge in PC Building Simulator is resource management. You have limited space in your workshop to store customer computers, so it’s important to process them as quickly as possible to maximize revenue. If you have multiple systems waiting for new parts, it’s more cost-effective to combine orders and pay for one shipment than to order each part separately.

Also, some tasks take a long time and can be done simultaneously to improve efficiency. I’m thinking in particular of 3Dmark, which I found to be about 90 seconds long to test. Once you reach higher levels, you can buy additional workbenches for your workshop, allowing you to run one PC for testing while you work on another. If you like to optimize processes, these elements of the game are sure to please you.

The vibe

Given some of the previously mentioned annoyances, you’ll probably want to play this game in short sessions, and luckily the day-by-day progression system – whether accidental or not – works well for that. While some strategy and simulation games can keep you marathoning into the early hours of the morning, forcing you to complete “at least something else,” I found it easy to fire up the game after work, fix a few PCs over a couple of days, and save my progress for the next day.

1. The game is convenient for short sessions thanks to the daily progress system.
2. It is easy to start the game after work and save the progress for the next day.
3. Humorous elements add bright colors to the gameplay.
4. Characters and customer letters contain funny moments and stereotypes.
5. The sandbox allows you to relax, offering all the details from the very beginning.

PC Building Simulator also includes humorous elements that add a splash of color to otherwise dull simulations. Customer emails contain genuinely funny moments, and some of the characters are vividly written – be they stereotypical writers, movie buffs, or gamers, each bringing their own sense of humor to their descriptions of problems. As is often the case in IT, you may also stumble upon funny files on users’ desktops (though, sadly, you won’t be able to open them).

It’s also worth noting that the game has a sandbox mode, which is a great way to unwind when the career mode gets too stressful with constant deadlines. In this mode, all the parts are open from the start (though it can be a bit confusing, as the component menus are sorted alphabetically with no filtering options). It was a nice distraction where I could try to build something as close to my real PC as possible, or create a fantasy gaming rig.

The judgement

I’m torn between whether or not to classify PC Building Simulator as a “useless simulator”. On the one hand, the business-building element is very enjoyable, and I’d love to make a living building systems and helping people, like my character in the game. There’s something relaxing about finishing a build, hearing the cash register jingle, and feeling like you’re growing your own little tech company.

On the other hand, it comes at the cost of frustration, as you have to think about a boring task every minute (do you have to unscrew screws or connect cables again?). This feeling is amplified when you can’t return the PC to the customer because you forgot some minor part – usually a PCI lock or an internal component of the case.

In that case, you have to drag the computer back to the desktop, remove the lid, install the part, screw the lid back on, and sometimes run the test again. This is probably the most frustrating thing about the game – why can’t you just return the PC and let the customer complain about the missing part?

Overall, PC Building Simulator will appeal to those who are excited about the latest CPUs and GPUs (or at least the ones released in 2018), but for me it doesn’t provide the same satisfaction that building a real PC does because everything happens within certain constraints. The core mechanics of building could easily be a touchscreen game, telling you the next step without you having to think. There’s no real challenge here other than a basic understanding of what each component does in a PC. I’m sure there are people who will enjoy it, and I’ll probably come back to it for an hour or two every now and then, but there are too many frustrations that keep me from getting into it.

System Requirements for PC Building Simulator

To enjoy PC Building Simulator smoothly, it’s essential to ensure your system meets the minimum and recommended requirements. The game is designed to run on Windows operating systems, starting from Windows 7. Players using older versions will encounter compatibility issues, especially as support for Windows 10 and later is confirmed for the Steam client from January 1, 2024. For the minimum requirements, you’ll need an Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD Athlon X4 740 processor, paired with at least 4 GB of RAM. The graphics card should be a GeForce GTX 660 (2048 MB) or Radeon R9 285 (2048 MB). While integrated GPUs may work, they are not officially supported, and performance could be limited. The game also requires DirectX version 9.0c and a minimum of 30 GB of disk space.

For those looking for a smoother and more enjoyable experience, the recommended specifications include a more powerful processor, such as an Intel Core i5-4460 or AMD FX-6300, along with 8 GB of RAM. A graphics card like the GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB) or Radeon R9 290 (4 GB) is ideal to handle the game’s visuals more effectively. Overall, ensuring your PC meets or exceeds these specifications will enhance your gameplay and allow you to fully immerse yourself in the experience of building and servicing computers.

How to play PC Building Simulator for Free on VpeSports

If you’re eager to dive into the immersive world of PC Building Simulator without spending any money, you’re in for a treat! VpeSports offers a fantastic opportunity to access the game for free through our platform. We provide shared Steam accounts that come with PC Building Simulator pre-installed via our Shared Steam service.

To get started, simply head over to the VpeSports website and create your account. Once you’re logged in, navigate to the Shared Steam section, where you’ll find various shared accounts available. Look for PC Building Simulator and click on its review page. Here, you’ll discover a download button that leads to a detailed guide on how to access the game. We’d love to hear your feedback, so feel free to leave a positive comment about our review! Remember, comments are moderated, so if yours doesn’t appear right away, try adjusting it to fit our guidelines. Once approved, our moderators will send the account details to the email you registered with.

For even quicker access, consider joining our Telegram channel, Shared Steam Accounts VP. By subscribing, you’ll receive timely updates and gain direct access to an account for free play of PC Building Simulator. This is a great way to stay informed about patches and new features while enjoying the game.

Should you encounter any challenges, a thorough guide is available on our website under the section: How to Play for Free – Detailed Instructions! Enjoy your journey in building and customizing PC!