As a gamer, I’m immersed in “The Alters,” a game that spins around the intriguing concept of “what if.” What if I pursued science instead of dropping out? What if I sacrificed my career for my wife’s dreams? This game invites you to ponder how one decision can reshape your destiny and mold who you ultimately become. For the protagonist, Jan Dolski, these aren’t mere speculations. Thanks to a baffling new compound, Jan can clone himself, each clone having lived a distinct life based on contrasting choices.
Incorporating resource management alongside survival aspects, “The Alters” is an intriguing science fiction narrative that delves into the vulnerability of one’s identity and the gravity of individual choices. The decisions you make shape the course of the story and influence how others see you, yet they also lead to more profound ethical dilemmas and self-examination. Although it has its imperfections, this game offers tense moments and turns solitude in space into a profoundly introspective, personal journey.
Me, Myself, and I
In a nutshell, Jan Dolski is the lone survivor from an expedition aimed at gathering Rapidium, a precious substance humankind has long desired but seldom touched. The purpose of Project Dolly was this extraction. Upon reconnecting with the venture’s financial backers, Jan receives orders to experiment with Rapidium on sheep genetics—an unusual twist that leads him to produce an exact copy, which he names Molly. Struggling alone and swamped with responsibilities, Jan ponders the possibility of cloning himself as the key to keeping operations ongoing and completing the mission successfully. The references are to the famous “Dolly the Sheep,” a pioneering achievement in animal cloning.
The clones, known as “Alters,” serve both as a crucial asset and a complex entity. The initial Alter, along with every subsequent one, is produced by the space station’s Quantum Computer, which identifies a significant moment in Jan’s life and creates an alternate version of him who chose a different course. Each Alter arrives with their own set of memories, characteristics, and unique life events, rendering them as separate and distinct personalities.
Instead of predefining character classes, The Alters provides distinct variations of the character named Jan. For instance, Jan the Technician excels at repairing equipment, while Jan the Scientist can unveil high-tech secrets and propel the story forward. If you require assistance with your greenhouse and need perfect crops, then Jan the Botanist is the ideal choice for you.
However, their abilities are just one aspect. The true fascination revolves around crafting alternate personas who led distinctly separate lives. Interestingly, Jan appears unfazed by this development, but the Alters find it challenging to reconcile with their altered reality. Assuming they’ve merely awakened from cryostasis, they believe they’re still part of the initial mission—yet what you’ve actually done is bring them into existence. This situation raises troubling queries: Are they genuinely living beings? Or are they mere tools, duplicates existing for the “real” Jan?
Navigating your interactions with alternate versions of yourself is quite unique compared to mere survival matters. Here’s an interesting twist: keeping spirits high is essential for productivity. And when things get a bit gloomy, why not gather the team and enjoy some light-hearted films or perhaps a friendly game of beer pong? Rest assured, these activities do have their uses in this context.
Among the many captivating elements of “The Alters“, one that truly stands out is how each clone feels like a genuine, fully-fleshed individual. Kudos to voice actor Alex Jordan for breathing life into various iterations of Jan with unique vocal inflections. The Scientist comes across as condescending, fitting his character, while the Botanist is so charming that you can’t help but feel remorse when he’s down. Although I’m embodying Jan, it feels like more than just playing myself. However, I must admit that I find it peculiar why the Doctor sports a Southern accent, while the Shrink, who diverges from his life trajectory, does not.
Certain decisions come with significant repercussions. For instance, Jan the Miner, being emotionally delicate, faces a tough choice: either provide him with support through medication or let him confront his past traumas on his own. One option might lead him down a dangerous path of despair, potentially resulting in a heartbreaking end, while the other could aid him in overcoming his struggles and transforming into a valuable ally. Such instances foster a strong bond with the Alters—and make it hard to let them go.
- An intriguing narrative that lets you explore alternate versions of your character and work together to survive;
- survival mechanics, time, and strategic planning creates a tense and rewarding gameplay loop;
- Alex Jordan excels at making each Alter feel like an entirely new person.
CONS:
- Daily routines and repetitiveness can begin to wear thin in its last act making the feel longer than it should be;
- the auto-delete save feature can deter you from exploring alternate outcomes.
Mining for Survival
Beyond dealing with emotional predicaments, The Alters also delves into the intricate aspects of staying alive. Your task is to maintain the space station’s functionality until rescue comes. Each act presents a significant objective, yet you must also manage daily tasks to accumulate and organize resources. Every in-game day commences with a stark warning about the sun’s movement: if it nears your space station, you perish. This constant reminder of the sun adds an ongoing feeling of apprehension, combining psychological stress with survival realities.
In each new stage, your tasks change, yet the fundamental gameplay stays consistent. Explore the environment, set up mining stations, and link them to your base using pylons. Once connected, these mining stations allow for quick travel (no time consumption) and enable you to assign Alters for resource gathering. To craft a variety of items, multiple mining stations are essential due to some resources needing a combination. However, remember that Alters must be placed at each station to collect anything. Additionally, if your storage capacity is full, you can’t mine any more resources.
Effective time management is crucial since each action, particularly construction or mining, consumes hours rapidly. Overexertion can lead to exhaustion, decreasing productivity. Initially, at a new location, the game offers some leeway for you to find your stride. However, sooner rather than later, you’ll encounter a magnetic storm that causes chaos.
These storms can persist for hours or even exceed a day, causing systems to malfunction and your Alters to hurriedly maintain operations. If you exhaust your radiation filters, it’s fatal for everyone. It’s undeniably stressful, but if you’ve amassed supplies judiciously, it remains manageable. The game also includes different difficulty levels that enable adjustments to the resources required for specific items, allowing you to prioritize either the narrative or survival. Ultimately, the balance between survival and storytelling in The Alters is customizable, offering an engaging blend that keeps you engaged.
Additionally, you might choose to enhance your space station by constructing additional areas where your Alters can gather. For instance, there’s the infirmary or social lounge, which serve practical purposes and help increase storage capacity for crafting narrative elements. It’s a delightful way to personalize your base according to your preferences, and it seems unusual that you can build these instantly provided you have the necessary resources.
Space Wonders
The dangers aren’t confined to just the station. As you venture into each new area, you might encounter peculiar oddities – shimmering, see-through blobs that can obstruct your path. Going through them increases your radiation levels significantly. If you faint, an Alter may save you, but you’ll lose the rest of the day and both of you will be radiated. There isn’t conventional combat, but later on, you’ll acquire tools to handle these hazards and extract valuable resources from them.
The game’s visuals are breathtakingly beautiful. The diverse landscapes of the planet create a truly alien atmosphere, while the haunting noises from anomalies and the ominous soundtrack give off feelings of both solitude and optimism. Despite this, I encountered occasional performance issues – short pauses, instances where Jan seemed to freeze or float – but these weren’t severe enough to disrupt gameplay.
Final Thoughts
Following three scenes, the storyline of “The Alters” took me on an emotional rollercoaster. One intriguing aspect about its design is how it manages save files: the game autosaves at the end of every day but erases old saves unless you specifically secure them beforehand. This means that if you want to revisit a crucial choice, you’ll have to safeguard that file ahead of time—a decision that seems counterintuitive for a game emphasizing multiple outcomes.
The game turned out to be longer than anticipated, which, while entertaining due to its daily resource-gathering loop and problem-solving tasks, was challenging because of its length and strict save system. It was tough to revisit and investigate all the diverse versions of character ‘Jan’ because I couldn’t save in multiple places. I wish the game had a feature that allowed you to “diverge” your saves just as Jan does with his life.
Ultimately, the game titled “The Alters” offers an intense, philosophical journey of survival that dives deep into themes of identity, remorse, and self-realization – a feat seldom attempted in gaming. It’s not just about enduring the coldness of space, but also discovering your essence through the individuals you might have become. Although it could stand to be shorter, its captivating narrative, intricate mechanics, and emotional impact ensure it leaves a lasting impression.
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2025-06-12 15:03