The Alters Preview — What Jan go wrong?

Following our recent preview of Frostpunk 2, 11 bit studios also gave us a roughly 40-minute look at some gameplay from the upcoming sci-fi adventure title The Alters. I have to admit that I knew very little about The Alters beforehand. I remembered the announcement trailer from over a year ago. But while intriguing, that trailer gave no indication of what sort of game The Alters would be. Following the presentation, I certainly have some more questions. But I also know The Alters looks like a creative and interesting title that’s right up my alley.

Into the Jan-known

The premise of The Alters is definitely a peculiar one. A simple worker, Jan—pronounced “Yahn”—finds himself stranded and alone after crash-landing on a distant planet. Unfortunately for Jan, the planet is in orbit of a massive sun that showers the planet with radiation. In an act of desperation, Jan harnesses the power of a crystal on the planet that allows him to create alternate versions of himself.

These alternate versions are aptly dubbed Alters. Each Alter follows the premise that they are a version of Jan who made completely different choices in his life. So while the original Jan is a simple worker, his Alters can be chefs, doctors, or even scientists. Not only do they each have their own unique lifestyle, they all have their own personality and emotions as well. They are sentient beings, with their own goals, fears, and feelings on the current situation.

Of course, Jan and all of the Alters want to survive. So they will have to collectively work together to figure out a way to escape the harsh planet they are stranded on. In the meantime, they have the shelter of a massive ever-moving mobile base which has been visible in both trailers so far.

A Jan-canny dilemma

In terms of gameplay, The Alters is a base-building survival game where players will have to utilize their Alters to explore their surroundings, gather resources, construct outposts, and more all to ensure the survival of Jan and his Alters. But players will also have to manage the relationships and well-being of their Alters. Not only is each version of Jan useful for its sheer manpower, but each one has its own distinct skill sets.

In the presentation we saw, one of the Alters complained about a strange and abnormal sensation in their hand. However, even though Jan assured the Alter they would get it checked out, events kept occurring that preoccupied his time. In the end, the Alter ended up taking matters into his own hands—quite literally—and dismembered his own limb. It seemed like a stark reminder that the feelings of the Alters matter. They are each their own self, not to just be used as an asset.

From both a narrative and gameplay perspective, The Alters looks very intriguing. By the end of the presentation, I wanted to know more. And with past outings like Frostpunk and This War of Mine, I can only imagine the adventure that awaits Jan and his Alters.

The Alters is coming to PC and current-generation consoles in 2024.