Choose The Test: Secrets of the Soul
Choose The Test: Secrets of the Soul if you want an Adventure, RPG, 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 Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift
The Test: Secrets of the Soul and Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift 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. The Test: Secrets of the Soul (2023) is 2 years older than Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift (2025). The Test: Secrets of the Soul is free; Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift is paid (4.99 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 Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift
Choose Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift if you want the Playable without Timed Input side of the pairing. Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift launched in 2025.
Both The Test: Secrets of the Soul and Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift 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
 The Test: Secrets of the Soul |  Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
| Genres | Indie, Adventure, Simulation, RPG, Free To Play, Casual | Indie, Simulation |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | Free to play | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 98% positive (1,409 reviews) | 1 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Randumb Studios | BuderWorks |
Side by side
- Both share Indie, Simulation on Steam.
- The Test: Secrets of the Soul (2023) is 2 years older than Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift (2025).
- The Test: Secrets of the Soul is free; Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift is paid (4.99 USD).
- The Test: Secrets of the Soul is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift has no Deck rating yet.
The Test: Secrets of the Soul vs Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift — FAQ
- Should I play The Test: Secrets of the Soul or Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift first?
- If you want chronology, The Test: Secrets of the Soul (2023) came out before Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift (2025). 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 Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift 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.
- Is The Test: Secrets of the Soul free?
- Yes — The Test: Secrets of the Soul is a free-to-play Steam title. Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift is paid (4.99 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. Observer Protocol: The Station - First Shift doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.