The Alters

While The Alters is currently still just listed as coming in quarter four of 2024, I could honestly not be any more excited for this game. This is a sci-fi survival game that has one of the most intriguing and crazy stories that I have seen in a sci-fi game in quite some time. While the game is not out yet, I have played through the demo three times. It only lasts a little over half an hour, but that was all the time I needed to know that this was a game that I had to pre-order so I could get in on it as soon as it is released which I hope is in 2024 and it does not slip into 2025!

Lost In Space

The story of The Alters sees us playing the role of a man called Jan Dolski, our space shuttle has crashed and landed on a dangerous and inhospitable planet. This planet has a deadly sun that unleashes immense radiation so we have to always be on the move in our moving base to stay one step ahead of it. We are in a fight for survival, but we lack the skills to not just survive, but come up with a way so that we can get off this planet, but we have one thing that could save us.

The Replicants!

We have the ability to make copies of ourselves which are the titular The Alters. The twist here is that we can go back into our past, and make changes and this will not just change the personality of the new version of us, but also make it so that they can do things we do not know how to do. It is such an insane concept, but it also makes so much sense as well. If you are a sci-fi fan I have no doubt that you are going to eat this up big time. I am so interested in what is going on here, I have decided that I am not going to read any more about the story as I want to experience all this first hand as there are so many possibilities for how it could go.

It All Adds Up

The thing about The Alters is that on paper, you feel like you have seen this game all before. You have exploration, resource gathering and management, base building and a social system as well. However, it is the way that all these gameplay elements are combined with this epic sci-fi story that makes this such a great experience. You need to find resources to keep your base moving as well as thriving, if you get stuck in the direct sunlight, you will die. However, this planet is dangerous so you have to be very careful when looking for resources. You need to decide what the best way to build and manage your base is and you also have a whole social system with some very difficult decisions to make. The demo does an amazing job of giving you a peak at just how involved and tense this whole experience can be.

You Kind Of Look Like Me

The whole presentation of The Alters is fantastic. This alien world looks amazing, it has a lot of variety to it, but while it can stun you with its beauty, it can also make you feel very nervous as it can also look deadly and isolated as well. Jan is a good looking guy and as we are in a world where everyone is the same “guy” they all look the same, but some will have longer hair, different facial hair, and so on. They do a great job of making it so you know everyone is Jan, but they also have key differences. The voice acting is amazing and again, they sound the same, but they are also very different too. The way the whole game is presented does such an amazing job of getting you invested in the game.

Pros:

• The story here is incredible
• Jan is such a complex character… characters
• I love the base building and survival mechanics
• The social system in the game forces you to make tough decisions

Cons:

• I do hope this makes it out in 2024!
• It is a real shame there is no Switch port of this