The Alters: Cloning Around For Survival? 11 Facts From 11 Bit Studios That'll Make You Go 'Hmm'
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
11 Bit Studios' *The Alters* is a survival game where you create alternate versions of yourself to survive on an alien planet, forcing you to confront the ethical implications of your choices, which may actually make you want to get lost in space. IGN South Africa provided the official trailer and initial details.
Alright, buckle up, mates, because 11 Bit Studios (those brilliant, if slightly depressing, minds behind *This War of Mine* and *Frostpunk*) have dropped a juicy 11-fact trailer for their upcoming game, *The Alters*. Now, usually, I'm a bit skeptical of these "facts" videos – they often feel like marketing fluff disguised as genuine insight. But this one? This one's got me properly intrigued.
IGN South Africa got the scoop with their breakdown, and the core concept is wild: You're Jan Dolski, a blue-collar worker stranded on a hostile alien planet. Sound familiar? Sure. But here's where it gets bonkers. Jan needs to create… Alters. Think clones, but with a twist. These aren't just copies of Jan; they're alternate versions of him, each with a different life path, different skills, and, presumably, different existential crises.
The big question, of course, is *why*? Well, Jan needs these Alters to survive. Each Alter possesses skills Jan doesn't have. We're talking engineering, botany, mining – the whole shebang. It's like he's building his own little, slightly dysfunctional, crew of specialists. (Sound familiar, Web3 crowd? DAO anyone...?). But this ain't just about resource management. It's about relationships. Jan needs to maintain morale. The Alters have their own personalities and needs. If they're unhappy, they're not going to be very helpful – or maybe they even rebel! Suddenly, this survival game is turning into a character-driven drama about identity, choice, and the consequences of your decisions. It's like *The Sims* meets *The Martian* with a dash of *Moon* thrown in for good measure.
Now, I know what you're thinking: "Jeff, cloning? Morality? Sounds heavy!" And you're probably right. 11 Bit Studios aren't exactly known for their cheerful storylines. But the fascinating thing is how the gameplay mechanics seem intertwined with the narrative. The choices you make about which Alters to create, how you treat them, and what tasks you assign them directly impact your chances of survival. It's a system that forces you to confront the ethical implications of your actions – something a lot of games hand-wave away.
The "expedition logs" video linked on IGN digs a little deeper into the development process. Apparently, creating the Alters was a technical nightmare. Each Alter has its own unique animations, voice acting, and backstory. It's a massive undertaking, and it's clear that 11 Bit Studios are pouring a lot of love (and probably a few sleepless nights) into this project.
Will it all come together? Will *The Alters* live up to the hype? Honestly, I haven't got a bloody clue. But the premise is so intriguing, the gameplay mechanics so potentially compelling, and the developers so consistently brilliant that I can't help but be cautiously optimistic. Colour me curious, eh?
So, keep an eye on this one, folks. It might just be the survival game that makes you question your own existence. No pressure, Jan. No pressure at all. I reckon if you liked *Frostpunk* and thought you were a little too happy, this one might just be the ticket.
Tags: survival game, indie game, 11 Bit Studios, the alters, cloning
Original article: IGN South Africa