From the moment you crash-land on an alien world, The Alters casts its spell with a haunting premise: stranded engineer Jan Dolski must pilot a rotating base ringed by dawn’s deadly radiation. To survive, he conjures alternative versions of himself called “Alters” each born from different life decisions. This narrative hook isn’t just clever fluff; it anchors every system in a haunting reflection on choice, memory, and identity. The story’s emotional resonance – like the emotionally stark wake for Jan’s test subject, Molly – elevates it beyond mere survival mechanics. It captures the existential fog of playing god with yourself, and makes for one of this year’s most memorable games yet.
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Gameplay blends tight survival sim mechanics with rich base-building. Each day is a sprint against the sun: gathering ore, crafting filters, expanding habitats, and keeping your Alters fed and sane. The pylon-delivered mining system feels tactile and rewarding, though occasional drag emerges if you’re racing a tight schedule. Still, moments of agency – assigning a Botanist Jan to tend crops while a Doctor Jan repairs the infirmary – hit with satisfying clarity, even if the micromanagement occasionally tips toward grindiness.
What truly makes The Alters stand out is its narrative weaving through mechanical toil. Dialogues with your clones – echoes of your own regrets – bring surprising depth, with voice performances bolstering their unique identities. Yet, repetition in introspection can dull impact over time, and some emotional beats feel trodden rather than earned. Still, the game’s existential core doesn’t just ask who you are – it challenges who you could have been.
Visually, The Alters is a triumph. The rotating wheel-base, jagged rock formations, shimmering anomalies, and god-stripped skies look stunning, with Unreal Engine 5 rendering that swings between deliberately oppressive and evocatively beautiful. Performance holds steady on PS5, aside from rare frame drops during expansive views of the horizon.
Audio enriches the atmospheric tension. From the drip of machinery to the hum of mining drills and the distant wheeze of anomalies, soundworld is immersive. Voiced interactions and internal monologues reinforce the intimate narrative, though occasional tonal missteps in dialogue can pull you out of tense moments.
Ultimately, The Alters is a bold melding of survival systems and emotional storytelling. While moments of grind or uneven narrative pacing may trip up the rhythm, its core remains haunting and rewarding. For anyone drawn to sci-fi with substance, or survival games willing to ask “What if I were someone else?”, it’s a deeply affecting journey – one that lingers long after the base stops spinning at sunrise.
Score: 8.7/10
Press Play Media 