Tests are important and can help you figure out what you are lacking in or where your strengths are. As a teacher, I’m not a huge fan of state tests in schools, but personal tests like this one can be invaluable information. They will often show you what you’ve been wanting to ignore or what you couldn’t see on your own.

Gamer tests are plentiful online, and I’ve taken only one or two (can’t remember) but after seeing this one mentioned on Later Levels, I wanted to try it since it decodes what motivates you as a gamer.

The test in question is the Gamer Motivation Profile by Quantic Foundry, a company that gathers data from their tests on gamers to see what inspires them. The criteria they look at are Action, Social, Mastery, Achievement, Immersion, and Creativity.

I enjoyed taking it because the questions the test asked were specific to gaming, not just generic questions. I could tell that people who play videogames created this test. It asked me questions about how I play that I hadn’t considered, which I enjoyed as I like to be challenged.

My test results were spot on, even though I couldn’t put them into words myself. I know what I like and don’t like, but when you are asked the right questions it helps you put pieces together like a puzzle in your mind. I am Spontaneous, Relaxed, Deeply Immersed, and Practical according to the test which all make sense.

Spontaneous twists in the plot or flow of the gameplay are exciting for me, as it changes everything on the player without warning. This can make the game more fun as I’m not sure what’s going to happen next, and I want to keep playing to find out.

Relaxed is part of my personality. I get told all the time how calm I am in certain situations, but it’s God who gives me that peace (Philippians 4:7) because on my own I wouldn’t have it.

Deeply Immersed is how I like my video games. I want a story with characters that will take me to another world and discover it with them. I want to be part of the adventure, interact with the environment, see the graphics come to life, and memorize the soundtrack for later listening.

Practical, yet another personality trait of mine. I’m not so sure how it comes out in gaming, so I can only assume it would be having an experience that is pretty straight forward and not making it difficult to proceed further. If I have to spend hours trying to figure out a puzzle or where to find an item, that can be frustrating for me and provoke me not to play the game anymore.

The site also recommends games to you after you conclude the exam (see below), and all except one I either own or is on my wishlist. These guys are good!

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End 
Dishonored 2 <– The one not on my list
The Last of Us 
Bioshock Infinite 
Life is Strange 
Mass Effect 2 
Red Dead Redemption 2
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 
Horizon Zero Dawn 
Rise of the Tomb Raider 

For those that haven’t taken this test, I recommend you do. The results will be interesting.

Let me know what results you received in the comments, and if the games they recommended made sense.

God bless, and keep on gaming!