The Alters Review
Release Date: June 13, 2025
Developers: 11 bit studios
Platforms: PC, Xbox Series X|S (Reviewed), PlayStation 5
Price: $34.99
The Alters is a masterfully crafted sci-fi adventure that manages to be both a tense survival game and a deeply personal, philosophical journey. Developed by 11 bit studios, a team known for their emotionally charged experiences like This War of Mine and Frostpunk, this game follows the journey of Jan Dolski, a space miner who is the sole survivor of a catastrophic crash on a hostile alien planet. His only hope for survival and escape lies in a newly discovered substance, Rapidium, which allows him to create "Alters"—alternate versions of himself who made different, pivotal life choices. This unique premise serves as the foundation for a game that blends base-building, resource management, and a compelling narrative into a truly unforgettable experience.
The game's story is its undeniable centerpiece. It’s a profound exploration of identity, regret, and the paths not taken. Each Alter you create is not a mindless clone, but a fully-realized character with their own distinct personality, memories, and emotional baggage, all stemming from a single, divergent choice in Jan's life. The Technician Jan, for instance, is gruff and assertive because he stood up to his abusive father, while the Botanist Jan is empathetic and kind, having prioritized love over career. The core narrative is driven by the dynamic and often tense interactions between these different versions of Jan. As the original Jan, you are forced to manage their relationships, navigate their conflicts, and confront the difficult questions they raise about your own life. This isn't just a sci-fi gimmick; it's a brilliant character study that makes you, the player, constantly reflect on your own choices and their consequences.
Gameplay in The Alters is a multi-faceted balancing act that keeps you on your toes. You must manage your mobile, wheel-shaped base, which needs to be kept in constant motion to outrun the deadly sun. This involves a mix of exploration, resource management, and base-building. You'll send Jan out to explore the desolate but beautiful planetary surface to find materials, while assigning tasks to your Alters back at the base. You'll need to maintain your crew's physical and mental well-being, as a stressed or unhappy Alter can be a liability. The time-pressure mechanic, where you're constantly racing against the sunrise, creates a palpable sense of urgency. The base-building element, viewed from a dollhouse-like side perspective, is both practical and charmingly detailed, allowing you to construct and place new modules like a greenhouse, a refiner, or a social room to meet your crew's needs.
The graphics and art style of The Alters perfectly complement its atmospheric and introspective themes. The planet itself is a barren, yet visually stunning landscape (think Death Stranding or Breath of the Wild with large vistas that, while devoid of anything, are hauntingly beautiful), filled with eerie anomalies and unique geological formations. The mobile base, with its side-on, cutaway view, is packed with intricate details that bring the claustrophobic sci-fi setting to life, and character designs for each Alter are distinct, reflecting their unique life paths and skills. While the game may not push the boundaries of hyper-realistic graphics, its stylized and polished visuals, combined with a haunting and immersive soundtrack, create a world that is both captivating and emotionally resonant.
While The Alters is a triumph in narrative design, a potential sequel could benefit from a few improvements. The survival mechanics, while effective, can sometimes feel a bit repetitive, particularly the resource micro-management towards the end of an act. A sequel could introduce more variety in mission objectives and environmental challenges to keep the core loop feeling fresh. Additionally, while the game’s choices-matter dialogue system is excellent, there are moments where the narrative can feel slightly railroaded, limiting the player's sense of agency. A future installment could offer more meaningful branching paths and consequences to truly amplify the impact of every decision.
There’s no denying that The Alters is a powerful and unique game that stands out in the crowded survival genre by putting its story and characters first, successfully blending the strategic elements of base management with a deeply personal and thought-provoking narrative. The game's success lies in its ability to make you care not just about surviving, but about the very essence of who you are and who you could have been—and ultimately become. It's an emotional and unforgettable journey that is highly recommended for anyone looking for a game that goes beyond simple mechanics and delivers a story that will stick with you long after the credits roll.
PROS:
A fantastic engrossing story
A wide range of characters representing different emotions and lifestyles for the player to utilize at their discretion
While a bit tedious, the gameplay loop can become rather addicting as you gather resources and take advantage of the terrain around you.
CONS:
Though your mileage may vary, it can feel like it overstays its welcome from time to time
As is with any resource management game, frustrations inevitably make themselves known the longer certain segments stick around.
A massive thank you to 11 bit studios for providing us with a copy of The Alters for the purposes of this review!