Once a well-reviewed PC game by Tomorrow Corporation, Human Resource Machine was recently adapted for mobile platforms, and has now gained a new level of popularity. It was released in early June and has quickly become a small sensation in app stores, earning strong reviews from puzzle lovers and coders alike.

So what exactly is it? Well, as mentioned, there's an appeal to coders, and that's because some view Human Resource Machine almost as a means of learning how coding works. Basically, the game consists of a series of challenges that have to be completed by way of programming tiny, cartoon office workers to get a job done. The story behind these challenges is that machines are coming for your job, and you have to help the little workers succeed in the workforce in order to hold the machines off.

In terms of gameplay, there's really nothing like Human Resource Machine out there, even if visually it might resemble Little Inferno, another game from Tomorrow Corporation's creative collection of mobile titles. A game called TIS-100 dealt directly with computer coding, and the 2015 game Mini Metro had some similar elements, though it was about designing efficient travel routes rather than completing office tasks. But Human Resource Machine's unique and creative range of puzzles and tasks stands alone. Somehow, the puzzles all feel related despite being drastically different from one another (unlike, say, The Guides, a mobile puzzle game that for all its brilliance lacks cohesion and structure).

This sense of connection and purpose really comes down to atmosphere. There's almost something cinematic about the gloomy dystopian backdrop of Human Resource Machine, to the point that cinephiles might view the design as something resembling a Tim Burton remake of Fritz Lang's iconic film Metropolis. Incidentally that film once inspired a bingo room at one of the leading operators in the gaming industry. Though the Metropolis bingo room has since been redesigned with a more modern look (as opposed to the stark black-and-white cityscape of Lang's time), the title and call to "make it big in the mighty Metropolis" still call the film to mind.

Human Resource Machine does the same thing for fans of classic film, though there's that aforementioned, Burton-esque twist to the environment. This is mostly due to the big-eyed, mock-gothic characters that populate the game, and the effect is a captivating but still lighthearted design. The Lang flavor (whether or not the designers intended it as such) brings about a genuine sense of creeping unease at the idea of a dystopian city driven by programmed workers, and the Burton-esque imagery keeps things whimsical and amusing. In short, the whole setting feels a little bit ominous, somewhat humorous, and wholly familiar, and that plays a big part in elevating it above the average puzzle or coding game.

Finally, it's also worth mentioning that the length and scope of the game help to set it apart from its competition. Too many mobile games these days present only a handful of missions or challenges only to promise more in future updates or sequels. Human Resource Machine isn't the biggest game out there, but it's certainly longer than many alternatives and thus offers a fulfilling gaming experience. That's a vital aspect of its appeal given its relatively hefty $5.99 price tag.

This is a unique and satisfying new mobile title that could end up being remembered as one of the better releases of 2016. You can download the game here.