Personality tests are fun. They just are. There’s the Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, Rice Purity, and even the Dungeons & Dragons alignment chart can be one. So, what better way to disguise a personality test than as an Action RPG? Introducing Freeride, developed by Flightyfelon Games and published by Future Friends Games.

You play as Proto, who is waiting for a train, until they’re accosted by Lepida, the conductor. She provides you with telekinesis powers, useful in what might be the demise of the spirit world. And here you thought it was just another quiz! Will Freeride allow us to see our true selves? Or have we joined a cult of personality?

Freeride, while primarily a personality test, still has to entertain you somehow. Thus, making a game for it serves as an interesting experiment, so to speak. At the end of each act (bar act four), a character known as the Seer shows up to throw a little bit of shade due to your actions. We learn that not only will she reveal your conscious choices, the ones you knowingly make, but the subconscious habits, too. It’s rare, at least in my view, to see games do this, as ‘choices matter’ type games often show the players their overt choices; choosing to save character A over character B, as an example. But you rarely see games that tell you, “You hovered over option B, but then chose A, interesting.”

The Seer will also let you know that you won’t be able to see everything, and worse yet, you won’t be able to save everyone. Luckily, the game is short. Along with a ton of snarky remarks, that, while initially confusing, once you’ve played through it multiple times, you’ll come to understand. The personality quiz wrapped in a video game is a neat concept. Because this does feel like a game where your choices really do matter. Especially in getting an idea of who you are. Though, to give a word of advice: Do not overthink every action, and play how you’d play it. If you want to be a pacifist? Be a pacifist. You want to go nuclear? Go nuclear. Though keep in mind, as the Seer says, even refusing to act is still a choice.

While playing through Freeride, you make the choices as Proto. Though, unlike some psychological horror games, the Seer will mention Proto, and not you, the player. This allows you to act as Proto, which makes sense, as you’re only given three options when replying to characters: An affirmative statement, a negative statement or a neutral statement (in the form of ellipses). Proto meets Lepida, the conductor of the Fate Train Express, who takes us on an adventure through the spirit world. Yes, you’re dead. How? Why? It’s not explained, which is okay, as the reason for Proto’s death isn’t important. In fact, it doesn’t matter how anyone else died, either, really.

On the train and throughout the game, we meet a unique cast of characters, who all seem to have some level of anthropomorphism, from humans with rabbit-like ears, to full-on birds. Each character has their own unfinished business, and you can help them with it, or other small personal quests. We’re given telekinetic powers that Proto uses to give gifts, solve a puzzle or fight. There is a physics-based element to it, which can be awfully finicky, but it does get easier to control. Bonus is that the controls are always displayed too. There aren’t any accessibility options, which is a shame. Seeing the ability to re-map controls or even having the option to use a dyslexic font would be great additions.

So, the question is, does this work as a personality quiz and a game? Honestly, yes. The only time the game reminds players that it’s a personality quiz is at the end of each arc. The game itself and its plot are satisfying regardless of the goal at the end of it. The tracked subconscious habits are interesting due to what they track. To spoil at least one of them, the Seer will comment on how many times you reloaded. The only issue with this is if you encounter a bug, or you might lose an important item… you’ll have to reload a save. While it makes sense in the case of rewriting a choice, if it’s to avoid a bug, it can annoyingly change your results.

Did I learn anything new about myself while playing? Not entirely, no. The game told me I’m quite curious, very open, slightly assertive, but overall kind. As far as first runs go, that’s not bad. And from those four adjectives, Freeride tells me I am a “Lord”. While I’ve always seen myself as curious, or open, to see it read plainly in a video game does make it feel distinct. That this gameplay, or the way the game is played, is something that can’t be replicated. And that’s something special.