Imagine having a chance to re-live your life and alter a crucial choice that shapes an entirely new journey. If you were to take this path, who would you become? Would this person still resonate as the ‘you’ you know, or would the ripple effect be so profound that you might not recognize yourself?
Now, envision a conversation between two versions of yourself, each with their unique experiences and divergent paths. The twist is that both of these ‘yous’ coexist, making space for one another in your shared existence. What if this dialogue were to unfold within the confines of the present moment? How would you navigate such an intriguing intersection of past, present, and potential futures?
As a gamer, I find myself drawn into the world of The Alters by 11 Bit Studios, a game that doesn’t shy away from posing challenging questions in an intense, high-stress setting. This isn’t foreign territory for the creators behind This War of Mine and Frostpunk – they have a knack for framing tough dilemmas within the bleakest of circumstances. The essence of their games lies in the belief that life can be brutal, and when pushed to our limits, we may reveal our true, sometimes monstrous nature. Yet, it’s this very struggle that captivates us, compelling us to keep playing, eagerly awaiting the consequences of our decisions. The Alters delivers on this promise while adding a fresh twist to the mix.
Res extensa
Essentially, The Alters revolves around a character named Jan Dolski, who embarks on a space expedition with a team. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse and he ends up stranded on an unfamiliar, potentially dangerous alien planet, with a colossal and intricate base that he can’t manage alone. His fate seems sealed to a slow, solitary demise unless saved by the impending sunrise that is approaching relentlessly. As soon as the sun rises, so does Jan’s end, for the extreme heat it brings would destroy the base beyond repair.
Jan, of course, doesn’t want to die.
This action leads him down a questionable decision-making path influenced by Descartes, which is further guided by his interactions with his corporate headquarters, Ally Corp. The planet’s discovery of Rapidium, a scarce and potent resource, offers hope for Jan, as while Ally Corp may not prioritize his rescue, they certainly value the acquisition of large quantities of this precious element.
As a dedicated fan, I’d love to share my excitement about the in-game device known as Rapidium. With this technology at hand, Jan can create a clone and, through quantum manipulation, grow an alternate version of himself where he made a different choice, resulting in a unique variation. The Rapidium accelerates this process significantly, making it happen much quicker than usual. From a gameplay perspective, each variant of Jan will have a distinct profession, offering them specialized roles. Moreover, they’ll possess individual personalities, preferences, and emotional traits that differ from one another, adding an engaging layer of complexity to the game.
Why are so many Jans necessary? To start with, there’s the sun, which will eventually reach your base and put an end to your survival attempts. However, your base can be moved, although the original Jan may not know how. Moreover, you must survive, and it is in this regard that The Alters become particularly challenging.
In any task at hand, time is a crucial factor, as there’s only a finite amount of gameplay time in a day. If you use it all on tasks like cooking food or crafting batteries, you’ll run out of essential resources such as metals and organics. Without these resources, your base might starve, become immobile, or suffer failures in radiation shielding, ultimately leading to the extinction of the Jans.
Daily life presents a myriad of tasks that seem to multiply over time. It’s as if you’re not just dealing with more tasks, but more versions of yourself – “Jans” – are needed to handle them all. Maintaining this balance and making countless decisions is a continuous challenge. Imagine it like an endless trolley problem, where each new “Jan” represents a lever-puller, yet the original “Jan” is already driving the trolley. The complexity arises when some “Jans” might end up on the tracks themselves.
Res cogitans
In The Alters, multiple interconnected mechanisms drive the game experience, requiring careful consideration and attention. To uncover its offerings and potential secrets, you’ll need to traverse the planet. This exploration involves collecting resources and strategizing automation, which will require more Jans. Since each Jan has unique skills, you’ll then need to determine which type of Jan is necessary for your needs. Lastly, expanding your base and constructing tailored structures will help maximize the potential of any given Jan.
You’re able to reorganize your initial design for better utilization of space and flow, and even extend its dimensions by including additional rooms. Keep in mind that enlarging your base increases its weight, making it more resource-intensive to relocate. Resources are scarce in each area, so it’s crucial to think carefully about these changes. For those who want a smoother experience with all the management aspects, the game developers have included an economy difficulty setting, taking into account the challenges you might face.
In essence, every task requires both time and energy (the Jans). Each unit of energy acts as a multiplier, providing more time, and how you utilize this extra time is crucial. Simultaneously, preserving the well-being of each energy source is equally important. Would you prefer to nurture them as a compassionate Prime Energy Source or exhaust them relentlessly under the guise of greater good? You can’t indefinitely create new energy sources; instead, aim for optimal timing. If things don’t go as planned, there’s always an opportunity to try again on another attempt. However, there’s a unique sense of finality to failure in this game that adds to its appeal.
Encouraging you every step of the way is the prospect of peril. A blazing star approaches menacingly, threatening to incinerate you, a corporation hovers over you relentlessly demanding some rare mineral called Rapidium, and an alien planet seeks ways to exterminate you. Yet, this alien planet is extraordinary in its own right. It’s inhospitable, ancient, and pristine, devoid of any divine intervention. It’s as captivating as a shark, a tiger, or an extinct Arctic bear species might be. Appreciation can be found from afar, thanks to distance, barriers, or the quirks of evolution. However, when you get too close and the theoretical transforms into reality, it reveals its true nature – a relentless predator encircling your neck with its tooth-filled jaws.
To put it simply, you shouldn’t assume these other Jans are mere copies of you. They are individuals with their own feelings, desires, and unpredictable actions. Even though they were created through quantum computing, they exhibit characteristics that challenge the definition of humanity. Neglecting a Jan’s needs could lead to unexpected consequences, such as him taking actions that may harm everyone involved. Creating multiple versions of yourself will inevitably lead to peculiar situations, and indeed, things will become peculiar.
Every day, as the clock winds down at the screen’s base, it shapes your activities. Certain tasks can’t be accomplished when you’re fatigued, leaving only the option to roam the station and chat with the Alters when you’re drained. Hearing their issues and determining what matters most significantly impacts the game, making it a key aspect that the developers have given you a designated time slot to concentrate on it. At times, the Jans may demand opposing things, requiring you to determine who gets their wishes fulfilled and who is left out in the cold. Leading this lone army isn’t an easy feat.
Res solaris
As you initially dive into The Alters, it gradually reveals its depth. It’s not a harsh game; instead, it offers room for learning. With continued play, intricacies start to pile up, each layer on top of the other, and neglect can lead to failure. Making the wrong move isn’t usually immediate catastrophe, but it’s a gradual decay, worsened by subsequent decisions, until unexpectedly, everything collapses around you.
At times, I encountered moments where the game seemed a bit confusing, often due to user interface issues or an inadequate tutorial that didn’t fully prepare me for how certain aspects of the game would evolve as it progressed. Nevertheless, The Alters proved to be a remarkable achievement, skillfully blending various systems that had the potential to diminish each other’s significance but somehow managed to avoid doing so.
This game is constructed, in numerous aspects, to create tension, yet my cortisol levels peaked at times due to trying to console a Jan from a ledge or make crucial choices affecting my entire base and my Alters. I didn’t encounter much unforeseen friction on the developers’ part that I would label as significant. The core of the game revolves around various Jans, each distinct in their own way. The game encourages you to ponder your life and the alternate versions of yourself existing across multiple realities. How did they handle the situations that left you shattered? How did they stumble upon the dreams you accomplished?
The game is designed to create stress, but my cortisol levels increased due to difficult decisions or trying to help Jans in crisis. I didn’t find many unexpected issues with the developers’ work. The main aspect of the game is dealing with multiple Jans and contemplating how these different versions of yourself would have coped with your hardships and triumphs.
The game subtly reflects certain philosophical ideas, and for thoughtful players, it delves deeply into the human experience. Additionally, it offers an intriguing blend of resource management, base construction, and survival elements, creating a remarkably well-balanced challenge.
11 Bit Studios manages to infuse a human touch into their complex management games like The Alters, giving players a purpose beyond just optimization and problem-solving, making engagement more appealing.
The game titled “The Alters” will be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on June 13, 2025. The publisher has graciously supplied a code for this review.
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2025-06-12 15:58