The Alters

I love new concepts in gaming - that is, mechanical and structural innovation. Unfortunately, there isn't much innovation in the gaming industry these days, where sequels and recycling of old concepts and ways of making games are ubiquitous. That's why it's great to see when a developer has come up with something completely new, or perhaps a new way of using an old concept, that makes a genre feel completely fresh and alive.

That's why it was great to get my hands on The Alters, a game I've had on my radar for a long time, but which has been postponed again and again. You've no doubt seen it before, at a show or just as a random trailer here and there, but you may not be aware that it's actually out tomorrow, June 13, as developer 11 bit Studios has been much more vague in its marketing. And that's a shame, because this is something very special. It's a cool concept, where they've mixed different genres together in a completely new and exciting way. You play as Jan Dolski, who wakes up in his space capsule after it crashes on an unknown planet. He quickly discovers that he is the only survivor and must now try to find a way to survive on his own.

He quickly finds a huge mobile space station, a kind of base shaped like a giant wheel, but it is empty. Through contact with the company behind the mission, he is told to explore the planet. On his first trip outside the base, he finds a mysterious mineral called Rapidium. It turns out to be something that scientists have been hunting for years, and which may be able to save humanity. When he returns to the base, he gains access to a quantum computer that allows him to clone himself.

But these are not just copies. The clones are versions of Jan from alternative life paths. For example, one where he stayed with his mother and developed a passion for mechanics. The computer creates new memories for the clone that fit this alternative background, and suddenly one becomes two: Jan and Mechanic Jan. And it doesn't stop there. All the clones have unique specialisations and names that fit their new roles and personalities. For example, you may end up with Chef Jan, Engineer Jan, Botanist Jan and several others. Each Alter has its own background, dialogue, and needs, and it's up to you to figure out how they should work together.

It's a super cool concept, and that's exactly why the game is called The Alters. The story is surprisingly well-crafted and fascinating. You have to constantly talk to your clones, who all have their own traumas, thoughts, and reactions, and you'll even come into contact with people from Earth who were part of the original life story that the clones are now derived from. These conversations can lead to existential reflections and emotionally intense moments where you really feel that this is not just a strategy simulator - it is a human story.

Okay, so in practical terms, this is equal parts third-person exploration as the original Jan, and equal parts maintenance, upgrading, and expansion of your base, where you clone yourself and make sure the clones you have thrive. It's unusual for a game with so many RTS and resource management elements to focus so much on character development. The clones react to your choices, become happy or nervous, and can even argue with each other. You have to take a stand, mediate, and make sure everyone works well together, otherwise things will start to go downhill. They can become depressed, angry or refuse to cooperate. You have to be a leader, a friend and a psychologist all at once.

At the same time, you have to explore the planet, which holds mysteries, dangers and hidden secrets. It's not just survival, it's a kind of slow journey of discovery where you never quite know what's waiting around the next corner. The game mixes base building, resource management, character care, and exploration in one package, and it works surprisingly well. For example, you can find strange objects in the wilderness that none of your clones understand until you take them home and let the right expert analyse them. This opens up small side stories and contributes to the feeling of being on a strange but living planet.

The central gameplay is about keeping your mobile base alive and moving it away from the sun, which threatens to burn everything up. But that requires resources, and they have to be dug up on the planet's surface. This is done via a small mini-game where you scan the ground and set up a mining station. But it must be manned by a clone, otherwise nothing will happen. So you have to constantly prioritise: should you use the resources to build new modules for the base or clone a new version of yourself with the necessary skills? These motivations are not new to this type of game, but in this context, the actual gameplay flow becomes more unique.

The game constantly forces you to make decisions and balance your needs. One clone may need a place to sleep, and without sleep he becomes irritable and ineffective. Another clone thinks you should focus on botany, while a third wants to build new systems. Who do you listen to? What is most important? It is up to you to decide, and it constantly feels as if you need one more hand, but one more hand will bring more problems. This makes the gameplay intense and engaging. It feels like being at the forefront of an expedition where every decision has consequences and where cooperation is not just a mechanic but a necessity.

The base is built like a giant wheel, where you can constantly rearrange the modules. It's a bit like the base management in XCOM, where you have to make room for everything and think logistically. There are departments for each clone type, one for the botanist, one for the mechanic, etc., and you constantly need to expand and adapt. Time is your biggest enemy, and you rarely feel like you're ahead. This means you're constantly optimising, adjusting, and responding to new challenges.

However, it must be said that all of this tends to become a bit overwhelming. I played on PC, where macros and mouse control make it a little easier to quickly navigate through various systems, and it is difficult to imagine how this works on console. The onboarding through tutorials is also lacking, and I am a little concerned that many players will drop out, as the game simply does not effectively communicate its depth through a solid learning curve during the first few hours. Fortunately, if you persevere, you will be rewarded.

One of the things I really enjoyed was exploring the planet. It is beautiful, gloomy, and feels genuinely dangerous. There is radioactivity, magnetic storms, and other phenomena reminiscent of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. It's super exciting to move around on a planet that seems like it doesn't want you there. And maybe there's more to it than meets the eye? You get the feeling that the planet is a character in itself, a silent opponent that constantly puts obstacles in your way.

The Alters is a wonderful mix of genres that combine to form a powerful and unique whole. It's a game that requires thought, leadership, and strategy, but also a game that offers a deep story, strong characters and a world you want to understand. I wholeheartedly recommend it if you're into that kind of thing.