Engaging in self-talk can be challenging, particularly when it’s face-to-face on a harsh, isolated planet where the sun poses constant peril. It allows for openness, gratitude, and possibly excess cordiality… but only up to a point, as the other party might not always align with your perspective.
If you find it intriguing yet slightly perplexing, then let me introduce you to “The Alters“, the latest creation from 11 bit studios. This game demands not just strategic resource management but also a good dose of people skills. The compelling narrative, captivating storytelling, and complex character development, along with the tough decisions you’ll have to make, certainly add to its allure. However, the gameplay itself can occasionally become a bit monotonous.
The story centers on Jan Dolski, an employee of Ally Corp, who sets off in search of a mysterious substance called Rapidium. After reaching an uncharted planet marked by rain, lava, and peculiarities hinting at connections between different dimensions, he finds himself as the sole survivor, with his crew members mysteriously deceased. Upon reaching their operation base, Jan manages to gather supplies and unearths Rapidium, but is unable to activate it. With no other alternatives, he decides to construct an Artificial Intelligence (AI) using the Rapidium, one that possesses the expertise required to find a solution for his predicament.
Having distinct personalities may lead to them not always agreeing with each other, or even you. Situations might occur where choosing one of them becomes necessary – such as preparing high-quality meals for a specific time versus continuing your regular routine of serving bland food.
In science fiction, clones are often depicted as identical individuals. However, the series “The Alters” approaches this concept differently. Instead of exact copies, they utilize Mind Records and a Quantum Computer to create branches, enabling viewers to explore the lives of various Alters based on crucial choices made. For instance, The Engineer might have defied Jan’s father and supported his mother, leading him to develop skills in machinery that make him more proficient than Jan in these areas. On the other hand, The Scientist chose a different path, which granted him a deep understanding of Rapidium, explaining his lack of surprise upon encountering Jan after awakening.
Each Alter shares a body similar to Jan’s, yet their minds are uniquely distinct. An intriguing aspect is that their memories aren’t of past events, but rather lives yet to be lived. Exploring the Mind Records can help you connect with and grasp your Alters; you’ll soon discover that the Scientist prefers a straightforward, emotionless demeanor. However, disagreements are bound to occur. Now, imagine creating an Alter yearning for reunification with Lena, Jan’s wife, despite their current separation. How would this impact the dynamic among your Alters and Jan?
The situation becomes increasingly complex due to the particulars of the mission and Ally Corp’s connection to Rapidium. Moreover, there remains a puzzle regarding what led to the crew’s demise during their descent, which only adds to the enigma. Yet, the narrative manages to keep all these elements in balance, ensuring that each twist keeps readers engaged. With survival at stake, ethical dilemmas surrounding Alters, and Jan’s personal struggles, there’s certainly a lot happening – yet it never feels overwhelming from a narrative perspective.
In contrast, your Alters don’t share the same harmony. Their diverse lifestyles can lead to conflicts among themselves, and potentially with you as well. Situations might arise where choosing one Alter over the other becomes necessary – like preparing special meals for a while versus sticking to regular fare being just one instance. If you prefer not to intervene, there could be future complications. Each Alter’s mental state varies based on your interactions and whether their needs are addressed, ranging from frustration and motivation to anxiety and defiance. Picking the right dialogue option doesn’t guarantee they’ll leave every conversation feeling completely content.
In a clear and natural way: “Alex Jordan clearly shines in each role, making every Alter character feel unique yet remarkably similar to Jan. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast, including Lucas with his awkward charm, Maxwell as Jan’s boss, and Lena, deliver outstanding performances.
Satisfying each Alter’s demands involves handling resources effectively too. There are abundant mineral and organic deposits on the surface, but before exploiting them, you must locate them, construct mining drills, and erect pylons to connect them back to the base. Each drill necessitates interaction for resource extraction, which consumes the most precious resource – Time. After 8 PM, it’s not possible to leave the base or work further, as doing so will affect your productivity the next day.
Interacting with your Workers remains possible, but overworking them (similar to the game Frostpunk) might affect their emotional state and overall health in the long run. Other essential factors to monitor include powering the radiation barriers with batteries, using drill charges for breaking rocks and creating new paths, fixing any malfunctioning tech with repair kits, and so forth. You can delegate tasks among your Workers, allowing the Engineer to focus on mining minerals while you scour the planet for resources – a wise choice, although they might sustain injuries during their work.
To handle everything effectively, make sure you’ve got the necessary components at hand. Building a base might seem simpler initially, yet it remains quite demanding. You’ll find a restricted area for placing these components, and while most can be moved around freely, having elevator access is crucial – even for spaces like storage. Once you’ve advanced far enough in research, you’ll gain the ability to expand your base and enjoy benefits such as improved battery usage, mining, refining, etc. However, adding more modules increases the overall weight. More weight means requiring more organic resources, which are also used for food production. So, make sure you have an adequate supply stocked up – but not excessively so, or it could hinder other tasks – to ensure a smooth transition when the day begins.
The blend of elements results in an engaging survival game where character interactions resemble visual novels and include light resource collection. Alex Jordan, clearly the main character, gives each Alter a unique yet familiar feel, reminiscent of Jan. However, other characters like Lucas, Maxwell (Jan’s boss), and Lena deliver impressive performances. The dialogue is natural and fluid, although some tonal changes might seem peculiar when choosing responses that aren’t perfect.
In my gaming experience, this game might not appeal to everyone due to its focus on resource gathering and management. A significant portion of the game involves roaming around and continually pressing a button to collect resources, with occasional breaks for dealing with Anomalies where you need to tread carefully before figuring out how to handle them. Even if you’re into survival crafting games, some might find the Alters too restrictive.
The key here is efficient time management – like setting up pylons on your way to a potential mining spot instead of building a drill and then working backwards (since you can teleport back to base from a drill), or creating Alters to streamline common tasks. Random events do pop up as you advance, but if exploration isn’t really your thing – and it’s not the most challenging mechanically either – then the repeated backtracking and actual gameplay could feel repetitive.
Although “The Alters” doesn’t push the envelope in terms of innovation, it delivers an engaging narrative, memorable characters, and intriguing puzzles, even though some aspects of its gameplay might be less dynamic and its visuals may have certain flaws.
Visually speaking, the game The Alters is stunningly amazing. It’s tough to establish such a unique appearance in the sci-fi genre, but they’ve done an impressive job, even if it leans more towards the familiar than breaking new ground. The visuals are exceptional, whether we’re talking about Jan’s diverse faces and expressions or the flowing lava rivers across the planet. Performance-wise, when everything is set to High with character model detail at Ultra and DLSS Quality enabled at 1440p, it provides a consistent 60 FPS, albeit with the occasional dip. However, an unusual problem arises in close-up scenes, whether you’re making calls or conversing with an Alter; the models become noticeably pixelated. This issue seems to happen unpredictably, and although it improves after the initial hours, it can still disrupt the immersive experience, particularly given the frequent interactions with Jan.
Although The Alters doesn’t push the envelope in terms of innovation, it delivers an engaging plot with well-developed characters and intriguing mysteries, even with its less thrilling gameplay segments and occasional visual flaws. I’m eager for additional playthroughs to uncover hidden details, but if anything, this game underscores the notion that you are often your own biggest obstacle (or closest hindrance).
This game was reviewed on PC.
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2025-06-12 15:12