What would you choose to do if you could live your life an infinite amount of times? How about if you had to do so but stranded on an alien planet, with just yourselves for company and a need to survive the harsh conditions?
Well, The Alters asks those very questions, with an extremely interesting premise behind the brand-new sci-fi survival title from 11 bit studios.
Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd
The Alters is finally here, and can now be played on Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC, with the game coming free for those of you with a Game Pass subscription. There is Play Anywhere support too.
Jan Dolski is the unfortunate lone survivor of a crash-landed expedition, and must learn how to survive a strange alien planet. It just so happens that Jan’s mobile base can form the perfect habitat for him to survive in: the only issue, Jan has just two hands, and a mobile base is vast indeed.
Enter the quantum computer, powered by the mysterious substance Rapidium, that can simulate different life paths of Jan simultaneously.
The outcome is an uncanny one: your mobile base is now home to The Alters; a bunch of Jan’s that all specialise in different aspects of survival. Put Jan Scientist onto investigating the planet’s resources, Jan Botanist onto cultivating food, and much more.
The question is: are The Alters just cannon fodder to help the true Jan make it out alive, or human beings in themselves, who must be treated with decency? Who is the real Jan at the end of it all? These questions, and more, must be answered throughout the course of this captivating and ambitious survival adventure. With branching storylines to take, the outcome of the Jan’s is in your hands!
Developer Visions
It’s been a long and bumpy road from conceptualisation to release for 11 bit studios, especially given that the idea for The Alters originated in the depths of the pandemic. Game Director Tomasz Kisilewicz had this to say on the matter:
With the team steadily growing, the pandemic reshaping the way we work, and all the usual challenges of game development, these past years have been both creatively rewarding and full of hurdles,… But now, as we stand on the brink of release, I’m proud to say we’ve delivered a game that stays true to its original vision—thanks entirely to the determination and talent of our incredible development team. They brought The Alters to life, and we can’t wait for players to finally experience it.
Meet The Alters Today
With the release of The Alters onto Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC, perhaps it’s time to adopt the role of Jan Gamer and pick up a copy of the game for yourself.
For Xbox players, The Alters: Standard Edition can be purchased for £29.74, and is also available as part of the Game Pass service.
Alternatively, The Alters: Deluxe Edition will set you back £41.74, and includes the base game, original soundtrack, an exclusive in-game item, and a piece of DLC to be released at a later date.
We will have our full review of The Alters ready for you soon – make sure you put Jan Reader to the job!
The Alters Description
SURVIVAL HAS NEVER BEEN SO PERSONAL
The Alters is an ambitious sci-fi survival game with a unique twist. You play as Jan Dolski, the lone survivor of a crash-landed expedition on a hostile planet. To survive, you must form a new crew for your mobile base. Using a substance called Rapidium, you create alternative versions of Jan—THE ALTERS—each one shaped by a different crucial decision from the protagonist’s past.
