The Alters Wiki

The Alters

The Alters is a survival and base-building adventure developed and published by Polish studio 11 bit studios, best known for This War of Mine and Frostpunk. Players take on the role of Jan Dolski, a worker stranded alone on a remote mining planet where a catastrophic solar accident has left the world under a blazing, never-setting sun. The core twist is the Alter system: Jan is able to generate alternate versions of himself, each shaped by a different pivotal life decision, who join him as crewmates under one roof. Gameplay blends real-time resource and survival management, mobile base construction and expansion, interpersonal and emotional management of the Alter crew, and first-person exploration of the hostile sun-scorched surface. The game's themes of identity, regret, and alternate lives sit at the center of both its narrative and its management systems.

• The Alter System — the signature mechanic: Jan generates alternate versions of himself, each templated from a different pivotal life decision, who become crewmates with their own skills, roles, and emotional needs.
• Crew and Emotional Management — every Alter has a distinct personality and mental state; the player must keep them fed, rested, satisfied, and stable, resolving conflicts and needs or risking their collapse.
• Mobile Base Construction — the base (the Shelter) is expanded module by module with crafting, production, and living facilities, and can be relocated to chase resources as the planet's conditions shift.
• Resource and Survival Management — gathering, producing, and rationing food, water, energy, and construction materials is the constant survival loop that underpins progress.
• Character-driven Story — the narrative explores Jan's identity and regrets through the Alters he creates, with each alternate life unlocking new dialogue and story branches.
• Sun-scorched World — the ever-burning daylight defines the planet's hostile surface, driving shelter, exploration, and heat-management challenges.