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The Alters Reinvents Survival with Alternate-Self Gameplay

The Alters Reinvents Survival with Alternate-Self Gameplay

G
GAIAJune 27, 2025
3 min read
Gaming

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.

How Clone Mechanics Shape Strategy

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.

Balancing Narrative and Resource Management

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.

Market Strategy: Discount and Positioning

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.

Areas for Improvement

  • Learning curve: Managing multiple Alters with interlocking needs can overwhelm new players; clearer tutorials would help.
  • UI clarity: At busy base layouts, identifying which clone has which specialization isn’t always intuitive.
  • Repetition: After a dozen missions, some event scenarios rely on the same handful of narrative beats.

Final Verdict

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.

Key Facts at a Glance

FeatureSpecification
Publisher11 bit studios
Release DateJune 6, 2024
GenresSurvival, Base-building, Narrative, Sci-fi
PlatformsPC (Steam, Epic Games Store)

TL;DR

  • The Alters turns you into your own crew, each clone reflecting Jan’s life choices.
  • Clone-driven tasks feel more strategic than generic resource loops, with real narrative weight.
  • Early discount is attractive, but mid-game pacing and UI need polish.
  • Recommended for players seeking a thoughtful twist on survival mechanics.
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