“What if you could meet the versions of yourself that made different choices?”
That’s the chilling premise behind The Alters, a survival narrative game from 11 bit studios—the minds behind This War of Mine and Frostpunk. But where those games forced players to manage desperate groups, The Alters is far more personal. You’re not managing people. You’re managing yourself. Or rather, many versions of yourself.
The Premise: One Man, Infinite Selves
You play as Jan Dolski, a lone worker stranded on a hostile, irradiated planet. Escape is impossible—unless you can keep moving. The sun here is deadly, and your massive mobile base is your only shelter from its killing rays. But maintenance, upgrades, and survival take more than one pair of hands. So you create “Alters”—alternate versions of Jan, each pulled from a different life path.
Gameplay: Survival Meets Identity Crisis
Previews from media outlets point to a tight blend of base-building, narrative choice, and psychological tension. Think Frostpunk, but inward. Each Alter has a different skill set—botanist, engineer, medic—and a personality shaped by “what if” decisions. What if Jan pursued medicine? What if he stayed with his first love? What if he gave up everything to chase a dream?
These Alters aren’t soulless tools. They think, feel, and react. They can rebel, form bonds, and even question their own existence. Managing their emotional stability is as important as assigning them tasks. One preview noted that some players might find themselves counseling their Alters more than actually building.
What Makes It Different?
While survival games often focus on external threats, The Alters adds an emotional, almost existential dimension. You’re not just fighting hunger or radiation—you’re reckoning with your past and your regrets. It’s a constant dance between survival and self-reflection, wrapped in beautifully bleak sci-fi storytelling.
PCGamesN highlighted the stunning modular base design, where you choose how to expand depending on which Alters you create. Windows Central praised the moral dilemmas and slow-burn narrative, where not all outcomes feel heroic. And TheGamer called it a “must-watch” for fans of narrative-driven survival.
Final Thoughts: A Mirror You Can’t Ignore
The Alters is shaping up to be one of 2025’s most psychologically rich games. It asks questions that linger even after the screen fades to black:
“Who would I be if I’d made different choices?”
“Would I like that version of myself?”
“Could I live with him?”
This isn’t just a game about survival. It’s a game about identity. And based on everything we’ve seen—it’s one we won’t forget.