Every few months a survival game pitches itself as “radically new,” only to deliver the same loop of gather, craft, repeat. The Alters, however, earned a closer look by promising something different: alternate-universe clones of your protagonist, Jan Dolski, each with its own skillset and backstory. Coming from the team behind Frostpunk, the concept sounded smart—but did it actually reshape how I play survival games? After several hours on an alien world, the answer is a cautious yes.
At the heart of The Alters is a system that goes beyond random stats. Instead of rolling generic crew members, you manufacture “Alters” tied to specific life choices Jan might have made—engineers who boost construction speed, med-student variants with advanced healing abilities, or explorers adept at scouting hidden resources. For example, when I faced a toxic gas leak, swapping in a chemistry-minded Jan cut decontamination time in half. Later, an architect Alter let me design more efficient walls, saving scarce materials.
This approach forces you to plan around personal strengths and weaknesses. You’re not simply upgrading a tech tree; you’re deciding which version of yourself will tackle each threat. It makes routine tasks like building solar collectors or researching new tech feel more deliberate, since every Alter’s history affects their productivity and morale.
Beyond mechanics, The Alters layers in a narrative urgency that outpaces many survival sims. You still juggle hunger, oxygen and shelter, but these gauges feel tied to character stakes: if your medic Alter collapses emotionally after a risky rescue, you may lose healing capacity until you rebuild trust. In one early mission, I had to choose between sending my combat-savvy Alter to fend off alien creatures or a nurturing version programmed for peacekeeping. That dilemma carried weight far beyond “send the strongest unit.”
That said, the emotional beats can be uneven. Introductory chapters do a fantastic job setting up the science-fiction premise, but by mid-game some dialogue choices begin to feel repetitive, and clone personalities blur together. A tighter editing pass on character scripts would help maintain the tension.
Shortly after launch, The Alters appeared with a notable 30% discount on PC storefronts—a bold move in a crowded survival market. It’s tempting to see this as a confidence play, encouraging players to sample the game’s twist without full-price hesitation. On the other hand, early discounts sometimes signal uncertainty about long-term engagement. While I haven’t encountered major bugs, newcomers should consider whether this initial offer outweighs any rough edges in the mid-game pacing.
The Alters doesn’t just tack a gimmick onto a familiar formula—it uses its core clone mechanic to reframe every decision, from resource allocation to moral quandaries. Although it stumbles in pacing and interface polish, the overall package offers a fresh perspective on survival gameplay. If you’re fatigued by generic crafting loops and want a more personal, tactical challenge—especially at a launch discount—it’s worth your time.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | 11 bit studios |
| Release Date | June 6, 2024 |
| Genres | Survival, Base-building, Narrative, Sci-fi |
| Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) |
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