Human Resource Machine

Game cover: Human Resource Machine

Description

Human Resource Machine takes the idea of an office as a soulless and automated space in its more literal sense. After choosing from a few character models, the game introduces its mechanics by describing the main character as "a good instruction follower". Indeed, this is a game about creating algorithms for the protagonist to follow, that is, this is a game about programming.

To do this the game give the player an increasing pool of instructions common to any programming language. From the "inbox" and "outbox" commands to manage the inputs and output, to mathematical commands like "sub" and "add" going through other commands like "jump to" or "copyto" and "copyfrom", the player has to literally build a program that the protagonist will follow in order to complete the task given in each level. In addition to this, every level offers two challenges that consist on a) building the instruction set in less than a given number of instructions and b) completing the level in less than a given number of movements. And, if the player considers that the base levels are not difficult enough, the game also includes non-mandatory levels with more complex objectives.

Being, a Tomorrow Corporation game, their signature doll-like cartoon graphic style is present too. And so is their usual artistic commentary on modern production and consumption models, this time, obviously, as an analogy between subordinate work and computer programs.

Game Info

Platforms
2016Linux2015Macintosh2015Wii U2015Windows2015Android2016iPhone2016Nintendo Switch2017