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Play Overview
Human Resource Machine (2015) is a strategy game where you program little office workers to solve puzzles. Play involves giving each worker instructions so they complete the jobs you are assigned for the day. It stands out not only for sneakily teaching kids to program but also for rewards them for doing this with efficient and elegant logic.
You work through the 40 office challenges in the course of your 40-year-long career in the office cubicle. Each day you have a set of boxes arrive in your In box that needs to move to your Out box. You do this not by controlling your worker directly, but by selecting a series of instructions.
This starts with simple tasks like picking up the first item in the Inbox and place in the Outbox but gets more complex as you get them to copy, add, subtract or perform conditional actions. By working through the levels you learn how to order and nest these instructions to get the job done - and have inadvertently learned a simple programming language along the way.
As you progress you can add more advanced techniques for your workers. For example, you can store things in memory or only operate certain instructions in specific areas of the office. Still, the game sticks to its simple visual style so you never feel like you are doing any programming.
The result is a fun puzzle game that's also an approachable way to learn the logic of programming to a surprisingly advanced level without getting bogged down with symbols, syntax and all those 1's and 0's.
Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Human Resource Machine 14 months ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 10 weeks ago.
You work through the 40 office challenges in the course of your 40-year-long career in the office cubicle. Each day you have a set of boxes arrive in your In box that needs to move to your Out box. You do this not by controlling your worker directly, but by selecting a series of instructions.
This starts with simple tasks like picking up the first item in the Inbox and place in the Outbox but gets more complex as you get them to copy, add, subtract or perform conditional actions. By working through the levels you learn how to order and nest these instructions to get the job done - and have inadvertently learned a simple programming language along the way.
As you progress you can add more advanced techniques for your workers. For example, you can store things in memory or only operate certain instructions in specific areas of the office. Still, the game sticks to its simple visual style so you never feel like you are doing any programming.
The result is a fun puzzle game that's also an approachable way to learn the logic of programming to a surprisingly advanced level without getting bogged down with symbols, syntax and all those 1's and 0's.
Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Human Resource Machine 14 months ago. It was re-examined by Thom Robertson and updated 10 weeks ago.
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Play Style
This is a Brain Game and Sequencing game with Puzzle and Simulation elements. This is a single-player game.
You can play this game in the following styles:
Duration
Play Time: This game will take between 4 and a half hours and 7 and a half hours to complete.
Benefits
Age Ratings
Skill Level
6+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. You need a basic understanding of mathematical operations, although these can also be learned by trial and error. You also need resilience to keep trying as things get more complex and your instructions don't always give the results you expect.
Costs
Game Details
Release Date: 15/10/2015, updated in 2017
Out Now: Android, Mac, PC, Switch, Wii U and iOS
Skill Rating: 6+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Brain Game, Sequencing (Puzzle and Simulation)
Accessibility: 0 features documented (Tweet Developer )
Components: 2D Overhead and Cartoon
Developer: Tomorrow Corp (@TomorrowCorp)
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