The Alters

11 bit studios, known for This War of Mine and Frostpunk, has returned with a new game and franchise. The Alters. Combining survival and base-building with a sci-fi narrative, the game features just one main character, with numerous variations of this character following the theme: What if?

11 bit studios, based in Poland, has made a name for itself by creating unusual games, which is perhaps why they're so popular. Examples include the reverse tower defence game Anomaly, the survival game This War of Mine, in which you play a civilian in a war zone, and, of course, the survival building game Frostpunk, in which you must make difficult decisions to ensure the survival of the city. The second instalment expanded upon the political aspects. The Alters is something completely different, but somehow not: a sci-fi survival game set on a hostile planet involving base building, tough decisions and exploration, seen from a third-person perspective. Over 270,000 people have already tried the demo, and the game is currently ranked in the mid-30s among the most wished-for games on Steam. There's clearly a lot of interest in this unusual genre mix.

The game's protagonist, Jan Dolski, is the sole survivor of an expedition that crashed on a hostile planet. To survive, he must assemble a new crew for his mobile base, but there are no other humans or survivors nearby. Using a substance called Rapidium and the quantum computer, he can create alternative versions of himself. This allows him to simulate and create alternative outcomes of his past decisions and life paths, particularly at pivotal moments. Each alternative Jan has unique abilities and emotional depths. Rather than being clones, they are alternative personalities based on different life choices and paths — for instance, as technicians, scientists or miners — and such individuals are invaluable in the fight for survival. The result is a diverse crew comprising different versions of the same character. These variations present opportunities and challenges, as the characters must overcome personal conflicts and navigate the dynamics of a crew comprising various versions of themselves.

Disputes can also arise between the different versions in this stressful situation, especially since they work better together when they are motivated and have some freedom. The decisions that Jan makes shape his relationships with his Alters, which affects their journey and leads to different outcomes and endings. That's what The Alters is all about: the game offers multiple possibilities and high replayability. In fact, when engaging in dialogue with a Jan in another playthrough, any previous decisions are clearly marked, enabling the player to take a different path if they wish.

Most of the interactions between the Jans, which players should always pursue for a more intense story experience, take place in the mobile base: a gigantic, wheel-shaped structure that can be expanded in modules. In order to operate the base, players must explore the planet's surface and search for resources such as metals, minerals, organics and, most importantly, Rapidium. However, venturing outside the safe haven exposes the Alters to various deadly anomalies, such as levitating rocks, reality distortions, radioactivity, magnetic storms and more, as well as ever-present solar radiation. Expeditions are particularly dangerous at night and require proper equipment, such as scanners and shields. Players control the Jan from a third-person perspective, locating and mining resources and setting up a network of pylons that serve as fast travel points, enabling them to venture further afield. The planet features unique biomes, secrets and anomalies. In this respect, This War of Mine and The Alters are similar: both games force players to step out of their safe spaces and venture into hostile environments to find crucial resources.

"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."  - Tomasz Kisilewicz, The Alters Game Director

The gathered resources can be used to create necessary items or develop the base with additional modules, such as a research lab, workshops, dorms or a social room. Sometimes, players will need to choose between making items specifically for the Alters and making items that could advance the mission, such as anomaly detectors or radiation filters. Additionally, players must manage repairs, production queues and storage. Fortunately, the difficulty of the action and economic elements can be adjusted separately. The gameplay is divided into day and night cycles. During the night cycle, radiation levels are too high to operate outside without the right equipment (high risk, high reward). Adding to the urgency of the situation, the main protagonist and his Alters have a limited amount of energy available before they need to rest. This makes planning actions for each day on the planet’s surface and on board the base essential. It's a race against time and a relentless, scorching sun that will turn everything to dust if the mobile base is not kept moving.

"In recent months, we have implemented a wide range of fixes and improvements based on feedback from both internal and external testers. It's fair to say that The Alters will be the most thoroughly tested game in 11 bit studios history." - Przemysław Marszał, 11 bit studios CEO

The developer and publisher of The Alters is 11 bit studios, a Polish company known for its survival and management games, including Frostpunk and the anti-war game This War of Mine. In September 2024, the studio released Frostpunk 2 for PC. Despite receiving mixed reviews from players due to its significant differences from the original game, Frostpunk 2 recouped its development and marketing costs after just three days. Console ports and DLCs are still in development.

The Alters was initially scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2025, but this was postponed due to quality issues. Around 20 to 30 people are currently working on Frostpunk 1886, an expanded remake of the 2018 game Frostpunk, which is scheduled for release in 2027. Four new game concepts are also being developed in-house, one of which is in the early conceptualisation stage. The publishing division of 11 bit studios will release two other titles in the coming months: Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault, a sequel to the company's most successful third-party title to date, which was developed by Digital Sun in Spain. This is scheduled for release in the summer. The other title is Death Howl, a soulslike deck builder developed by The Outer Zone in Denmark.

The Alters will be released simultaneously on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on 13 June 2025. It will also be available on Game Pass from day one.

Conclusion

The Alters offers a unique and captivating blend of survival, base-building, exploration and emotional storytelling.

Features

• Emotional storytelling with numerous decisions and high replay value
• Engaging exploration of a hostile world
• Motivating expansion of the mobile base