Choose The Test: Secrets of the Soul
Choose The Test: Secrets of the Soul if you want an Indie, Adventure, and Free To Play experience. On Steam, it's free to play, so the barrier to trying it is zero. 1,409 Steam reviews back the pick.
The Test: Secrets of the Soul vs Отделение 38
The Test: Secrets of the Soul and Отделение 38 both land in Simulation, RPG 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 Simulation, RPG on Steam. The Test: Secrets of the Soul (2023) is 1 year older than Отделение 38 (2024). The Test: Secrets of the Soul is free; Отделение 38 is paid (0.99 USD). 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 Отделение 38
Choose Отделение 38 if you want an Early Access experience. Отделение 38 launched in 2024.
Both The Test: Secrets of the Soul and Отделение 38 sit in Simulation and RPG 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
 The Test: Secrets of the Soul |  Отделение 38 | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Free To Play, Casual | Simulation, RPG, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 0.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98% positive (1,409 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Randumb Studios | The Three Windmills |
Side by side
- Both share Simulation, RPG on Steam.
- The Test: Secrets of the Soul (2023) is 1 year older than Отделение 38 (2024).
- The Test: Secrets of the Soul is free; Отделение 38 is paid (0.99 USD).
- The Test: Secrets of the Soul is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Отделение 38 has no Deck rating yet.
The Test: Secrets of the Soul vs Отделение 38 — FAQ
- Should I play The Test: Secrets of the Soul or Отделение 38 first?
- If you want chronology, The Test: Secrets of the Soul (2023) came out before Отделение 38 (2024). 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 The Test: Secrets of the Soul and Отделение 38 similar?
- They overlap on Simulation, RPG 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.
- Is The Test: Secrets of the Soul free?
- Yes — The Test: Secrets of the Soul is a free-to-play Steam title. Отделение 38 is paid (0.99 USD).
- Does The Test: Secrets of the Soul run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — The Test: Secrets of the Soul is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Отделение 38 doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.