HR-PG: An AI Interviewer That Turns Interview Preparation Into An RPG Game

HR-PG is a turn-based AI simulator that transforms job interview preparation into retro 16-bit style boss battles. Its core is to train users' interview response skills through gamification, especially integrating the STAR method (Situation-Task-Action-Result), helping users improve their interview skills in a relaxed and fun atmosphere and reduce preparation anxiety.

Job interviews are one of the most stressful parts of many people's careers. Traditional preparation methods (reading interview experiences, mock Q&A, memorizing answers) are boring and hard to sustain engagement. HR-PG adopts a gamified approach, reimagining the job search process as an RPG boss battle, lowering the learning threshold and providing instant feedback to help users quickly improve their response strategies.

The core gameplay is turn-based combat: players take on the role of job seekers and battle against an AI recruiter boss. The boss throws interview questions, and players use the STAR method to answer to attack the boss—the higher the quality of the answer, the greater the damage; otherwise, they take counterattack damage and lose health points. The game guides users to organize their answers according to the STAR structure (Situation-Task-Action-Result), with AI evaluating and providing feedback in real time to adjust response patterns immediately.

Separate front-end and back-end architecture: The front-end uses React+TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, and Vite, with a retro 16-bit pixel style interface; the back-end uses Flask, SQLAlchemy, SQLite, and JWT. AI capabilities come from the Vanderbilt Amplify API, acting as the dungeon master (generating targeted interview questions) and scoring judge (evaluating answer quality and converting it into damage).

Clearly targeted at three user groups: students and recent graduates (lacking experience), junior to mid-level professionals (career transition/promotion), and anyone in need of interview preparation. The gamified design is especially appealing to young users who are tired of traditional coaching.

The project's value lies in demonstrating a new direction for AI educational applications: instant feedback aligns with the principles of deliberate practice; gamification lowers psychological barriers (a safe environment encourages experimentation); and the scalable AI architecture (third-party LLM services support development in specific fields).

Plans include upgrading the visual experience (16-bit graphic animations), adding audio interactions (sound effects/voice input), integrating resumes (personalized questions), expanding the job library, and implementing difficulty levels to adapt to users with different experience levels.

HR-PG is an innovative project combining AI technology and gamified learning, proving that educational tools can be both fun and practical. For job seekers or those changing jobs, it is a free tool worth trying—failure in the game has no real consequences, helping to improve interview performance.