The Alters Reviews
The Alters is 11 Bit Studios' magnum opus; a tense, thrilling, thoughtful game that makes you question what kind of person you want to be.
The Alters spreads itself thinly, approaching heady subject matter with little imagination and shallow dialogue. Coupled with irritating resource management, cumbersome traversal, and an ever-ticking clock that harms its narrative pacing, 11 Bit's ambitious surival game is only for those who love deadlines and suffering.
While The Alters is a narrative success, its survival gameplay is more of a side focus than the core of the title.
Isolationist, existential, and compelling, The Alters molds the struggle of one's self into an often bleak, obtusely hopeful exercise of survival. By bending the genre to its whims, 11 bit studios have crafted a futuristic study on purpose and time.
The Alters is more than a fascinating concept, mixing strong characterization and impactful decision-making with an enthralling quest for survival, even if the gameplay doesn't always excite.
Adventure and survival parts of The Alters were reduced to a minimum, so that the story, choices and interactions with alters could serve as the main course. Unfortunately this particular meal left me feeling hungry, but that is due to my personal preferences. If you want something new and fresh among games that make you manage a base with a little exploration, and a little survival, The Alters looks bold and original.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The Alters is a masterfully crafted sci-fi adventure about survival, self-discovery, and learning to live with the version of yourself who tried a little harder.
The Alters has taken the idea of choices and their ramifications and used it to create a world where you can only count on yourself to survive. It mixes these with literal elements of survival, such as mining for materials, keeping important items stocked, and keeping your base in working shape. All these elements made me think about my own choices in life, and what could have been if I had taken different paths. Therefore, not only was The Alters a captivating story and world to play in, but it also really made me think philosophically about life and what it really means to survive.
Unique, poignant, and one that will stick with you, The Alters also will win hearts with a $52 AUD price tag or availability through Xbox Game Pass. As a result, it's highly recommended and needs to be played to be properly understood and enjoyed.
The Alters is 11 bit studio's most ambitious, and possibly best game yet. Combining all their experiences in base building, crew management, resource gathering and survival, they try to pull off something they haven't done before. Create an engaging, huge, sci-fi narrative adventure. And they succeed. From it's themes, to it's music, acting, visuals, survival gameplay loop, basebuilding, and so much more, The Alters is a triumph that exceeds expectations and an unforgettable, deep adventure.
11 Bit Studios strikes again with a fresh take and setting that borrows from the brilliant mechanics of This War of Mine and sends them into space.
The Alters is a very different, unique, and engaging experience that blends the sci-fi genre with base management and survival elements, delivering a different and entertaining experience. Despite some shortcomings in the exploration department and minor technical issues, The Alters is easily one of the best games of the year.
Review in Persian | Read full review
A genuine science fiction work that, even if it slightly sidelines gameplay to stay true to its original concept, manages to captivate players with its strong emotional core
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Moving beyond war-torn cities and frozen wastelands, 11 Bit Studios ventures into space with The Alters, delivering yet another survival masterpiece. Blending inventive core gameplay with a deeply human exploration of crisis and identity, The Alters offers an accessible yet emotionally resonant experience, that could redefine the survival genre.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The Alters is undoubtedly one of this year’s best indie games. The creators of Frostpunk at 11 bit studios once again showcase their mastery of crafting fluid narrative frameworks—what you might call "narrative sandbox" experiences—and their knack for challenging players’ moral boundaries. While The Alters might not break new ground in its survival-driven gameplay, it more than makes up for it with its fluid storytelling, remarkable character development, near-flawless plot, immersive atmosphere, and polished gameplay. It's so good, in fact, that finishing this review makes me want to urge you to play it—and dive right back in myself.
Review in Persian | Read full review
In The Alters played almost everything. For me, it is unquestionably the best game from studio 11 bit!
Review in Polish | Read full review
The Alters stands out with a creative and emotionally rich premise, combining base management, exploration and a deep narrative of identity, choices and coexistence. The idea of interacting with alternative versions of oneself is original and well explored both in terms of mechanics and plot, highlighting an interesting balance between constant pressure, strategic decisions and moments of introspection, which enriches the gaming experience. The proposal is ambitious, well executed and offers a type of engagement that is rare in games of this genre.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Alters will leave you with pondering thoughts long after the credits roll. It’s a brave and daring take on the survival genre and one that will keep you coming back, hoping to answer just one more ‘what if.’
If there's one thing Poles are really good at, it's video game development. This is confirmed once again by the 11 bit studios team. After Frostpunk, they bring another great title in which you clone yourself, manage a base, explore and fight for survival on an inhospitable planet.
Review in Slovak | Read full review