The authors of World of Goo and Little Inferno never cease to amaze, and in this analysis of Human Resource Machine for Nintendo Switch we tell you everything you need to know about their latest creation; an ingenious puzzle video game that offers us to improve the productive efficiency of a large company by designing algorithms that provide answers to mathematical problems of various kinds. Don’t panic! It’s more fun than it sounds.
We are not machines. It is a statement that we repeat to ourselves over and over again. But instead, at work, we usually act like we are. We perform our tasks mechanically without thinking too much about our actions, nor worrying excessively about those around us, whom we even treat as simple tools necessary to fulfill our objectives. It is the dehumanization of work , and it is also the theme on which Human Resource Machine revolves , the new work of the creators World of Goo and Little Inferno, which together with these has just premiered on Nintendo Switch to the delight of game fans. of puzzles. It is not for less. His new job, available on PC for a little over a year, is a surprising work, which is engaging thanks to the ingenious, fun and intelligent design of the mathematical and efficiency challenges that he faces us. Wait! mathematics? And it’s funny? Well yes, and much more.
Someone tells you that equations, multiplications and other messes related to numbers have always been on his head. But there is something new about Tomorrow Corporation that makes the difficult easy, posing a handful of challenges that will bring out the Einstein that we all carry inside. Our ultimate goal? Responding to the demands of our bosses while surviving a world in which anything other than piecework and without distractions is frowned upon.
Human Resource Machine: Nintendo Switch Trailer
In search of the perfect algorithmIts own developers describe Human Resource Machine as a “puzzle game for computer geeks”, but the truth is that you do not have to be passionate about computer programming, or even an expert in mathematics, to enjoy this video game. Unlike. It is very likely that those more versed in the matter find this title too simple compared to other video games of a similar nature, such as the challenging SpaceChem or TIS-100 for PC. That this does not take you away, however, from a video game that for charm, design and the very story that it tells is well worth it.
We only have 11 commands to create algorithms, but that does not mean that this is an easy game. Some formulas are a real challenge.
I already pointed out that this work is about the dehumanization of work, and that is precisely the task that we will have to undertake. Design algorithms that allow our solicitous alter ego to accomplish its tasks with mechanical precision in the shortest possible time. That the hours are expensive! And for this we will have up to eleven different commands that we can freely combine to create increasingly complex chains of actions. All with the ultimate goal of transporting from the input belt to the output belt a series of cubes with numbers and letters following the instructions of “those up there”, which are not always as clear as we would like.
It is surprising that he is so resourceful and clever in designing his math challengesSend only the blocks marked with a zero, discard all vowels in favor of consonants, add two cubes to send the result to the output tape, multiply or divide based on very specific conditions, create sequences of numbers and letters, change the order of the existing ones … although it is clear that eleven commands is not a particularly high number, Human Resource Machine knows how to constantly surprise you with new challenges that will test your ability to manage data at a general level, taking into account that the cubes that will appear on the input tape will always appear at random . So it is not worth creating a specific algorithm for specific cubes, but one that works independently of the cubes that appear.
The mechanics of trial and error will therefore be a constant in this title that without seeking to give math lessons or anything like that, it contributes to the less knowledgeable in the matter opening their minds to the world of programming and equations. Obviously the better base you have in this field, the easier it will be for you to navigate the enigmatic and not very encouraging universe created by Tomorrow Corporation, but I insist, you don’t need to be an expert to survive these puzzles. More taking into account that there is no single solution to them, but that you can create several sequences with great freedom to respond to the same problem.
Behind its naive appearance and great sense of humor, the game hides a dark plot that deals with a subject as serious as that of the dehumanization of work.
The fewer commands you use and the fewer steps your alter ego has to take, better than better, but nothing prevents you from creating an algorithm made up of dozens of commands. Is efficient? Not much, but let it be “those from above” who throw it in your face. The point is that the game itself challenges you to overcome its challenges, which are framed in years of work, as efficiently as possible. So here the experts have a good challenge to tackle. There are also a good handful of additional missions with downright difficult challenges. Therefore, although it is not a particularly long game, overcoming all its challenges can take between five and six hours. Although of course, everything will depend on your ability to solve enigmas.
And you will fight to achieve it, since in a similar way to Little Inferno, behind that naive appearance that is hidden behind the cartoonish designsof the characters, Human Resource Machine tells a story with certain dark overtones that tells us about one of the worst faces of humanity: their detachment from life in favor of, in this case, working, working and working in order to increase the riches. He also does it with very bad slobber, using funny conversations that show the absurdity of this way of thinking. The music also accompanies the action well, with very lively melodies although little varied between them. As with other releases on Nintendo Switch, the ability to enjoy the game on the television or directly on the touch screen of the console is a great point in favor of a title that guarantees hours of pure and thoughtful entertainment.
“Excellent”
Human Resource Machine
It is not a game suitable for everyone, it is true, but such is its quality that it is difficult not to recommend it. It makes what is not easy at all, giving us the freedom to create disparate algorithms that respond to productivity problems at work. More commands to interact with are missing, but the variety of challenges it poses and the story it tells are two attractions that cannot be overlooked. So whether or not you are an expert in the world of computing, this is a work that you should not miss.
- The story, the message it conveys and how it does it
- Very ingenious puzzles, the kind that make you think
- Easy to understand, but difficult to master
- Some more commands are missing, or even subroutines
- Sometimes the objectives of the tests are not well explained
