Choose Human Resource Machine
Choose Human Resource Machine if you want a Casual experience. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 1,452 Steam reviews back the pick.
Human Resource Machine vs Automation
Human Resource Machine and Automation 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. Human Resource Machine (2015) is 7 years older than Automation (2022). Human Resource Machine scores higher on Steam reviews (93.2% positive) than Automation (75.7% 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 Automation
Choose Automation if you want a Strategy experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2022) and ships with the modern feature baseline. Automation launched in 2022.
Both Human Resource Machine and Automation sit in Indie and Simulation on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Human Resource Machine |  Automation | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2015 | 2022 |
| Genres | Indie, Simulation, Casual | Strategy, Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 14.99 USD | 14.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.2% positive (1,452 reviews) | 75.7% positive (37 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Tomorrow Corporation | One Tree Hill Studios |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- Human Resource Machine (2015) is 7 years older than Automation (2022).
- Human Resource Machine scores higher on Steam reviews (93.2% positive) than Automation (75.7% positive).
- Automation is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Human Resource Machine (14.99 USD vs. 14.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Human Resource Machine is Deck Verified, Automation is Deck Unsupported.
Human Resource Machine vs Automation — FAQ
- Should I play Human Resource Machine or Automation first?
- If you want chronology, Human Resource Machine (2015) came out before Automation (2022). 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 Human Resource Machine and Automation 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.