If there is one game that I would recommend that does justice to its name is Refind Self: The Personality Test Game. For all those into psychology, cozy gaming, or even storytelling, this game has something for everyone (yes, even casual gamers). Not only did the game make me cry, but it also got me hooked for 3 hours straight because I knew I had to finish it in one go!
This Adventure Indie game offers a delightful journey into an alternate universe crafted by the developers at Lizardry and PLAYISM. You play as an “old” android exploring a world where the food may seem human-esque, but nothing else is. Hop in to dive deeper into Refind Self: The Personality Test Game Review to know more!
Refind Self: The Personality Test Game- Gameplay
The story revolves around a nameless android (whom you name) created by a doctor. The game commences with you standing on the doctor’s grave and paving the way for making decisions in this dystopian world. You’re set on a path, free to explore different spaces, reacting to different settings, objects, and organisms. Each decision you make contributes to determining your personality from the 23 archetypes, such as the Researcher, Clown, Solo Player, and many more! These archetypes are calculated on 5 main parameters, namely, Passion, Judgement, Daring, Morals, and Methods. All personality types are a unique assimilation of these 5 parameters to determine where you fit!
What Are The Most Popular Personality Types
The top 5 personality types that most people get are:
- Adventurer: If you’re into exploring the unknown and curiosity gets the better of you, then you’re the perfect fit for the adventurer personality type!
- Researcher: This one is for those who crave knowledge in any way, despite its utility! Even the little things, such as posters and notes, are valuable to this archetype!
- Artisan: The Artisans are the ones with fixation and a zeal for creation.
- Traveller: The Traveller personality type, much like the adventurer, is based on wandering. The difference lies in their flexibility to adapt and their practicality to explore.
- Butler: The type of people who value sincerity and trust in others over logic and profit are the people with the Butler personality type!
As you explore different paths and do certain things, the heart meter on the top left corner of your screen fills and determines into which archetypes you fit. What’s even more curious and cool is that you cannot end the game once. You need to play thrice to unlock all 5 different personality types!
Of course, the more the merrier! You have to go through the game at least three times and live through your path to determine your top 4 personalities and the one you’re least like.
Why I Loved It!
The intricacies of this game made me want to keep playing it for hours at a stretch, because of how introspective each decision was. (Spoiler alert!) Threading each activity, as simple as picking flowers, or choosing a coffee, to determining whether a robot should die or not, you’re left to explore an unknown place with no decision being right or wrong.
The element of nostalgia provokes one to introspect about their own ways of living, their morals, and the microscopic decisions that they make every day lead to shaping who they are.
Game Aesthetics
What really stood out to me was the entire vibe of the game! The soothing, warm colour palette with hues of yellow, orange, ochre, grey, and b/w, although set in the future, felt like a blast to the past. The 2D perspective with the pixelated graphics ameliorated the retro effect of the game, making it perfect for retro game enthusiasts.
The background score was a cherry on top, for this aesthetic, as it fully tied the melancholia of the storyline to the curiosity inciting mundane actions such as picking up flowers!
Refind Self: Robotic Inconsistences (Logic vs Emotion)
For the intricacies of the game, there isn’t a consistency in the idea of world-building. I believe that there is some artistic liberty with respect to the same because we never know what robots eat, now. Do we? So, a bowl of ramen and a cigarette may seem improbable for an android, yet again, it could be an artistic decision to create a sense of relatability. From the dilemma of a robot praying to the idea of it having feelings and being capable of camaraderie, the game really tests what we know about artificial intelligence, human companionship, and what it means to be oneself!
Conclusion
With the idea of questioning and finding your SELF, the game allows you to take a very intriguing personality test, aided by computer inputs, while taking you on a beautiful journey. If you’re someone who has enjoyed playing games like Stardew Valley, Coral Island, or even Zelda, you’ll definitely enjoy Refind Self, for it combines the essence and aesthetics of these cozy games with a unique storytelling experience. Will you feed the sheep, or sell them for coins? Every little action will be a step towards determining your personality from their archetypes.
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