Let me start with a confession: I didn’t expect The Alters to hit me this hard.
I went in thinking it was just another survival game with a sci-fi twist manage resources, build a base, don’t die. But after a few days (both in-game and real-life), I realized this wasn’t just about survival. It was about identity, regret, and the haunting question: What if I had made different choices?
And damn, does it deliver.
Survival, But Make It Philosophical
You play as Jan Dolski, a space technician stranded on a hostile planet after a mission gone wrong. Alone, desperate, and facing certain death, Jan gets an offer from his corporate overlords: Create alternate versions of yourself to survive.
Enter the Alters clones of Jan, each born from a different life decision. What if he became a doctor instead of a technician? What if he stayed with Lena instead of leaving her? What if he never stood up to his abusive father?
The brilliance here isn’t just the cloning mechanic it’s how these Alters feel like real people. They argue, bond, resent each other, and sometimes hate you for forcing them into existence.
Jan the Miner is a gruff, no-nonsense alcoholic who resents his past.
Jan the Scientist is a ruthless pragmatist who sees emotions as inefficiencies.
Jan the Therapist is empathetic but struggles with his own existential dread.
Managing them isn’t just about assigning tasks it’s about balancing their mental health, resolving conflicts, and sometimes making brutal choices.
Base-Building with Emotional Consequences
The survival loop is familiar gather resources, expand your base, research upgrades but with a twist: Your Alters have opinions.
Force them to work 12-hour shifts? Their morale plummets, efficiency drops, and they might quit.
Neglect their personal quests? They’ll resent you, making future cooperation harder.
Let them relax in the rec room? They bond, work better, and even share touching moments (like watching short films together yes, these are actual mini-movies in-game).
It’s Frostpunk meets The Good Place, where every decision has emotional weight.
Exploration That Actually Matters
The planet isn’t just a pretty backdrop it’s a puzzle.
Anomalies warp time and space, forcing you to think before rushing in.
Resource nodes require strategic pylon placement, turning logistics into a mini-game.
Burrowing through shortcuts feels rewarding, especially when you unlock new areas.
It’s not just about grinding materials it’s about planning, adapting, and sometimes accepting that you can’t save everyone.
The Emotional Gut-Punch (No Spoilers)
Act 2 is where The Alters stops playing nice.
The game knows you’re stressed. It knows some choices feel hollow. And then it answers that frustration in one of the most meta, philosophically brilliant ways I’ve ever seen in a game.
I won’t spoil it, but by the time I reached the ending (yes, there are multiple), I sat back and just stared at the screen for a solid five minutes.
The Verdict: Should You Play It?
Yes if you’re ready for a game that makes you feel as much as it makes you think.
Pros:
- Incredible writing The Alters feel real, with distinct personalities and arcs.
- Brilliant meta-commentary The game knows what it’s doing and plays with expectations.
- Engaging survival loop Base-building + emotional management = addictive.
- Exploration with purpose No empty open-world filler here.
Cons:
- Some Alters are underdeveloped Not all clones get equal screen time.
- Occasional bugs Nothing game-breaking, but expect minor jank.
- Stressful AF at times If you hate moral dilemmas, brace yourself.
The Alters: The Alters isn't just a game it's an experience. It made me laugh, rage, and, at one point, question my own life choices.Is it perfect? No. But it's bold, emotional, and unlike anything else out there.Play it. Then call your therapist. – Tom Henry
