The Alters, from 11 Bit Studios, is a fantastic examination of the human condition in video game form. Having been heavily marketed, we were shown two sides of a coin. One side is an exploration game, and the other is a base management game. However, what we get from The Alters is so much more. The developers have sprinkled in resource management, automation, and even a slight touch of horror.

How Many Jans Does It Take?

As was shown off prominently, the real-world controversial theme of cloning is at the forefront of The Alters. The protagonist, Jan Dolski, is a builder and the lone survivor of a mission to another planet. After your pod lands, you have to get to your base that was sent down to the planet with you. Jan has to run the base all by himself and being just a builder, he needs some help.

With some advanced technology, Jan is able to create alternate versions of himself. These clones, aptly named Alters, all made different choices at different points of Jan’s original timeline. These choices create new timelines that ultimately lead to different paths to the same outcome: this mission. Early on you only have so many slots to create Alters. You can upgrade the number of slots you have as the game goes on. Upgrading your slots also gives you access to new Jan professions.

11 Bit Studios has given us a diverse group of Jans. Without spoiling too much, they range from blue-collar workers to medical professionals. Each Alter can be assigned to different tasks throughout the base and the planet. However, to get the most out of a Jan, you will want to assign them to their specialized role.

Make Your Clones Happy

One aspect of the game that is the most challenging is keeping all your Jans happy. I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible. Your game and conversation choices affect each of your Alters’ moods. Some of the Alters like to play party games while others enjoy the gym. Much like real life, though it is very hard to please everyone, especially in a workplace. The developers made interesting choices with the personalities they gave the Alters.

It was very cool getting to know each of them. You can also scroll through the timeline for that Alter once they are created, but the immersive conversation is much more fun. The Alters are not the only characters you get to converse with in The Alters. You get to speak to some people on Earth as well. All of these characters work for Ally Corp, the same company Jan works for.

Resource and Base Management

Another satisfying aspect of the game is the base building. With over a dozen different modules of all different sizes, you can spend hours arranging your base. Certain modules are connected to tasks. Sometimes an Alter will ask you to build it, and sometimes a contact from Earth will. It did not seem to matter where you placed each module, which was nice. It will be cool to see all the different base combinations people can come up with. And much like many other aspects in the game, the base size is also upgradeable through research and resources.

The research tree is broken up into four categories, Exploration, Economy, Base, and Mission, which fit with the multi-genre theme of the game. As you advance in the story, you unlock new technologies to research. Unlocking the technologies will also unlock new items to craft. This is where your resource automation management skills are critical, and there are 6 different types of resources strewn throughout the planet. Scanning for where to place your mining outpost is a fun little minigame that often becomes deadly. While you scan, you are frequently avoiding anomalies that are radioactive. As you progress in the game, you unlock new ways to avoid these obstacles.

Creating a network of mining outposts simultaneously creates a fast travel network for that current map. The game is broken into 3 main areas, and as you leave each area, the game allows you to pick up all your placed mining outposts and power pylons. This is a very user-friendly feature, and the game is chock-full of helpful pop-ups.

Features and Aesthetics

The Alters is an unforgiving experience, but that does not take away from it being a very fun game. It has an amazing story that will keep you engaged. The immersion is excellent as you smoothly transition from cutscene to gameplay. Despite the world being bleak and deadly, you will want to keep exploring. After all, you need to find all of Jan’s belongings that are strewn all over the planet from the crash.

As the calendar counts down to the deadly sunrise of the planet, make sure you pay attention to your Alters, your resources, and your sanity. If you are anything like me, you will spend many hours reloading to previous days due to pushing yourself too close to that deadline. Be careful how much you reload, though, because the game only allows so many save files and only so many that you can go back to in that playthrough. 11 Bit has included an interesting feature allowing you to lock a particular save file. Also, the game has an autosave feature that only saves at the beginning of each morning, so if you do have to quit in the middle of a day, just remember you will have to start that day over.

The last aspect to touch on in the game is the sound. Kudos to Alex Jordan for doing the different Jan voices. As a result, each Alter had distinct ways they speak, ranging from accents to inflections as well as attitudes. Additionally, the intense sound effects of the planet and the dramatic music all tie into the game’s atmosphere. If you can, play this one with headphones or a high-quality soundbar/system.

The Alters Final Reaction

Due to its blend of genres, The Alters would be a game I recommend to any sort of gamer. Whether you like action-adventure or chill sim sim-style games, you will find an aspect of The Alters that you enjoy. Throw in a well-written science fiction story with some great twists, and you get the recipe for a great game. With a high replay value due to the variety of choices and over 30 hours of gameplay, I can see myself going back for another playthrough.

Despite there being heavy competition already on the market, it will not be surprising if we see The Alters in the Game of the Year conversation.

Pick up your copy today on PC, Xbox Series consoles, and PlayStation 5. The Alters is also coming to Xbox and PC Game Pass on day one.

A code was provided by the company for review purposes.