Curiosity is certainly building around The Alters, the latest space survival project from 11 Bit Studios. Known for colder, grittier titles like Frostpunk and This War of Mine, the studio is taking an exciting new direction with this one, offering a fresh twist on familiar survival themes. However, fans will have to exercise a bit more patience as the game’s release has been postponed yet again until some time in 2025.
If you’ve played your share of survival games, many aspects of The Alters might feel familiar—there’s crafting, resource management, and base-building. Yet, this game takes things up a notch with a unique setup: you play as Jan Dolski, a lone survivor of a crash on an alien world, where you must create clones of yourself to repair and sustain your spacecraft.
The ‘Alters’—clones partially made from a mysterious planetary substance—each represent pivotal moments from Jan’s past. It’s a compelling mix of concepts and we were initially gearing up for its release in the first quarter of this year. Unfortunately, that was not to be, as 11 Bit Studios has confirmed another delay.
In a creative announcement, a tongue-in-cheek letter from Jan’s employer, Ally Corp, the developers explained the delay for the PC game. They’re holding off to refine and perfect the experience, ensuring everything meets their high standards. Given the innovative ideas at play and the studio’s new creative path, it’s understandable they’re facing numerous challenges in shaping The Alters into their vision.
Beyond mere survival, players will navigate some diplomacy, managing the wide-ranging temperaments of each clone. Every version of Jan reflects distinct choices—such as career sacrifices for family or standing up to bullies—and balancing all these personalities could easily lead to fireworks as you assign them different tasks.
The Alters is now projected to launch in late 2025. If you’re itching to dive in sooner, Steam has a demo you can try out.
In the meantime, why not browse our list of top strategy games to keep your strategic mind sharp, or check out our best robot games for those futuristic thrills.
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