Science fiction, clones and criticism of capitalism. Here is The Alters
The new video game from 11 Bit Studios is an auteur game. In the best sense of the word
2' min read
2' min read
The Alters is an auteur game in the best sense of the word. They are 11 Bit Studios, a Polish software house that has developed little masterpieces like This War of Mine and Frostpunk. Their games are set in desperate and lost places, where you are called to survive, at any cost, being careful what you choose to do and be. The Alters is the most visionary of their titles. We are inside modern science fiction, the more psychological and existential kind. We are Jan Dolski, an astronaut hired by AllyCorp for a space expedition. We find ourselves alone, without a crew, on a planet orbiting in a system with three twin stars, searching for an extremely rare mineral capable of counteracting the laws of physics and the flow of time. To leave that world shattered, we discover we are able to generate clones of ourselves. Each one, however, will have different memories that will make him or her a different individual. Our common goal is to find a way to survive. The game will require you to help Dolski return home, possibly together with his clones. In addition to survival, The Alters explores the critique of the capitalist system - depicted as exploitation of labour - and the theme of identity: the clones, though variants of Jan, act and react independently, displaying emotions, ceremonies (such as a funeral for a sheep), conflicts and memorable tensions.
What we liked.
The game alternates between management moments - assignment of roles among the clones (botanist, miner, etc.), construction and maintenance of the base - and third-person exploratory sections on the planet. These phases are paced by the time limit imposed by the rotation of the sun, creating a constant pressure. You learn from your mistakes, so save and retrace your steps. The advice is to have courage and take a few risks. And watch out for time, which is a limited resource. There will be many endings, and that is the beauty of it.
What we didn't like.
The day-to-day running of the base can become repetitive, and the narration sometimes seems mechanical, Then it is only in English, and that's OK because we all have to learn it. By the way, the game is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox, among others already at launch in Game Pass.
