Choose SHENZHEN I/O
Choose SHENZHEN I/O if it's currently about 25% cheaper on the Steam Store. 2,198 Steam reviews back the pick.
SHENZHEN I/O vs EXAPUNKS
SHENZHEN I/O and EXAPUNKS both land in Indie, Simulation on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam. SHENZHEN I/O (2016) is 2 years older than EXAPUNKS (2018). EXAPUNKS scores higher on Steam reviews (96.3% positive) than SHENZHEN I/O (95.2% positive). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose EXAPUNKS
Choose EXAPUNKS if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 1,125 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both SHENZHEN I/O and EXAPUNKS sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam and both list Steam Leaderboards, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Steam reviews are nearly tied (95.2% vs 96.3% positive), so genre fit is the cleanest tiebreaker — scroll the table for the feature-by-feature view.
Side-by-side comparison
 SHENZHEN I/O |  EXAPUNKS | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2016 | 2018 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Playable |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95.2% positive (2,198 reviews) | 96.3% positive (1,125 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Zachtronics | Zachtronics |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- SHENZHEN I/O (2016) is 2 years older than EXAPUNKS (2018).
- EXAPUNKS scores higher on Steam reviews (96.3% positive) than SHENZHEN I/O (95.2% positive).
- SHENZHEN I/O is currently ~25% cheaper on Steam than EXAPUNKS (14.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both are Deck Playable.
SHENZHEN I/O vs EXAPUNKS — FAQ
- Which is better, SHENZHEN I/O or EXAPUNKS?
- On Steam reviews the two are nearly tied: SHENZHEN I/O sits at 95.2% positive (2,198 reviews), EXAPUNKS at 96.3% (1,125). The choice usually comes down to genre fit and the platform features each one supports — see the comparison table above.
- Should I play SHENZHEN I/O or EXAPUNKS first?
- If you want chronology, SHENZHEN I/O (2016) came out before EXAPUNKS (2018). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are SHENZHEN I/O and EXAPUNKS similar?
- They overlap on Indie, Simulation on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.