The Alters

The majority of critics praised The Alters for its compelling narrative and rich thematic exploration. Many highlighted its thoughtful examination of identity, morality, and the consequences of choice, with IGN noting its "emotional and humanist sci-fi story" and GamesRadar+ describing it as "introspective" and "exploring the relationships between the protagonist and his clones." The game’s unique premise—centered on Jan Dolski, who creates clones of himself to survive on an alien planet—was frequently lauded for its philosophical depth. Critics like GameStar emphasized the "impact of past decisions on one’s life," while Gamersky and Combo Infinito praised its "rich and thought-provoking" narrative that encourages players to reflect on their choices. The exploration of cloning as a metaphor for self-discovery and existential conflict was particularly noted, with IGN Benelux calling it a "fascinating narrative" and TheSixthAxis highlighting its "deep themes of self-discovery." These elements collectively positioned The Alters as a standout example of narrative-driven sci-fi gaming. However, several critics pointed to flaws in execution. PCGamesN and Slant Magazine criticized the story for being "predictable" and featuring "shallow dialogue" and "underdeveloped characters," while SpazioGames noted that "moral choices lack significant impact on the story’s outcome." Eurogamer Germany and PC Games both mentioned that the narrative "didn’t fully utilize the emotional potential of the characters," and PCGamesN specifically called out the "shallow character differentiation" and reliance on stereotypes. Additionally, some reviewers, like GRYOnline.pl and Xbox Tavern, felt the plot, while engaging, lacked originality, with Game8 noting the "familiar narrative of a lone protagonist on an alien planet." These critiques suggest that while the game’s conceptual framework was strong, its execution sometimes fell short in delivering nuanced character development and impactful storytelling. Despite these criticisms, the overall consensus among critics was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising The Alters as a thoughtfully crafted narrative. The game’s ability to blend sci-fi elements with existential questions about identity and choice resonated strongly, as noted by critics like Critical Hits, who called it a "deep narrative," and PlayUA, who described it as a "profound exploration of identity." While some reviewers pointed to flaws in character depth or plot originality, these were often framed as minor drawbacks in an otherwise impressive experience. The game’s unique approach to storytelling—using cloning as a mechanism for exploring personal dilemmas—was widely celebrated, with IGN and GamesRadar+ emphasizing its "philosophical themes" and "engaging" emotional beats. Ultimately, The Alters was seen as a compelling, if imperfect, narrative that successfully balances thematic ambition with player agency, earning it a place as a notable entry in the genre.

The gameplay of The Alters is praised for its unique blend of survival, management, and narrative-driven mechanics, with several critics highlighting its innovative approach. Critical Hits and GRYOnline.pl note that the game’s focus on moral dilemmas and emotional revelations adds depth, making the experience engaging despite its repetitive cycles. GameBlast commends the interconnected systems, emphasizing tactical reasoning and social dynamics, while TheXboxHub and BaziCenter appreciate the strategic layer of managing clones with distinct personalities and the tension of survival under time constraints. IGN Italia and Digital Trends also acknowledge the emotional weight of the Alters’ relationships and the strategic elements of relocating bases due to environmental hazards, which create a sense of urgency. These positives suggest that the game’s core mechanics are designed to foster immersion and challenge, with many reviewers recognizing its ambition in merging survival with psychological and narrative complexity. However, the gameplay faces significant criticism for its repetitive nature, cumbersome systems, and perceived tedium. PCGamesN and GamingBolt describe the resource management and time efficiency mechanics as frustrating busywork, while Gamersky and DBLTAP argue that the overcomplicated base-building and clone management feel more like a job than a game. Combo Infinito and GameSpot point to repetitive objectives and punitive exploration/combat elements, and Game8 criticizes the frequent base resets that undermine progression. Digital Trends and Eurogamer also note that the formula becomes overwhelming and formulaic over time, with Xbox Tavern and XboxEra highlighting the stress of balancing limited resources and time pressures. These critiques collectively paint a picture of a game that, while conceptually rich, struggles with execution in its repetitive and sometimes unwieldy systems. Overall, the consensus among critics is that The Alters offers a compelling but uneven gameplay experience. While IGN and Stevivor praise its survival mechanics and the integration of clones into strategic decision-making, many agree that the repetitive resource management and complex systems risk alienating players. PCGamesN and GamingBolt emphasize the frustration of its mechanics, yet Critical Hits and GRYOnline.pl acknowledge that moral choices and emotional stakes keep it engaging. The game’s strengths lie in its narrative-driven depth and unique blend of genres, but its weaknesses—such as tedious cycles and overwhelming complexity—create a polarizing experience. Despite these flaws, several reviewers, including GameMAG and PlayUA, highlight its balance of story and strategy, suggesting that while not flawless, The Alters succeeds in delivering a thought-provoking and challenging survival experience.

The Alters receives widespread praise for its visually impressive graphics and art direction, with many critics highlighting its effective use of Unreal Engine 5 to create immersive, mid-budget sci-fi environments. GameMAG and TheXboxHub commend the game’s "strange planet" and "beautifully designed Alters," while MondoXbox and ZTGD emphasize the "clean and detailed graphics" and "bleak alien landscape" that enhance the game’s atmosphere. TheXboxHub and Vandal note the "immersive industrial environments" in the mobile base, and Critical Hits and GamesRadar+ laud the "impressive graphics and art direction" that align with the game’s aesthetic. Eurogamer and GamesRadar+ also appreciate the "futuristic doll’s house" and "dramatic landscapes," respectively, while Combo Infinito and COGconnected praise the "distinct and immersive settings" and "believable sci-fi planet." These reviews collectively underscore the game’s ability to craft a visually engaging world that supports its narrative and themes, with a strong focus on environmental design and lighting effects. However, several critics point to notable technical and design limitations that detract from the visual experience. BaziCenter and GamersRD mention "limited animation quality" and "blurriness" in certain areas, while Multiplayer.it and Eurogamer Poland note "pop-in effects" and "simplistic animations." CD-Action and Gamer Escape point to "graphical issues" and "slightly underdeveloped character models," and Oyungezer criticizes the "monotonous" environment variety. Additionally, some reviewers, like WellPlayed and IGN, highlight navigation challenges, such as a "zoomed-in view" and "disorienting base management," which affect immersion. While the game’s art style is often celebrated, these critiques reveal that technical execution and consistency in visual details are areas where the title falls short, particularly on PC platforms where optimization and graphical fidelity are more scrutinized. Despite these flaws, the overall consensus among critics is largely positive, with the game’s visual design being a standout feature that contributes significantly to its atmosphere and storytelling. While some technical issues and repetitive elements are acknowledged, the majority of reviews emphasize the "visually appealing world" and "stunning environments" that align with the sci-fi theme. Critics like GameOver.gr, Eurogamer, and TechRadar Gaming highlight the "coherent aesthetic" and "handcrafted" settings, which enhance exploration and emotional engagement. However, the game’s visual strengths are occasionally offset by limitations in animation, character detail, and environmental variety, as noted by BaziCenter, GamersRD, and Oyungezer. The Alters’ graphics and art direction are seen as a key component of its identity, with many reviewers agreeing that the visuals effectively convey isolation, mystery, and hostility, even if not all aspects are flawless.

The majority of critics praise The Alters’ sound design and music for their immersive and atmospheric contributions. MondoXbox highlights the soundtrack’s ability to evoke melancholy and tension, while TheXboxHub and Vandal commend its top-notch quality and sci-fi ambiance, respectively. ZTGD emphasizes the effective shifts between calm and tense moments, and Digital Trends singles out a standout musical number by Alex Jordan, which adds emotional weight. Finger Guns describes the forlorn, synth-heavy score as evocative of other notable soundtracks, while GamersRD and SpazioGames note how the music enhances themes of isolation and fragility. Eurogamer, Eurogamer Germany, and Windows Central all laud the atmospheric synths and ambient sounds that make the game’s environments feel alive, with IGN Deutschland and IGN Spain specifically praising the voice acting and its role in amplifying narrative depth. These reviews collectively underscore the soundtrack’s success in reinforcing the game’s tone and creating a cohesive, emotionally resonant experience. However, some critics express reservations about the music and sound design. COGconnected calls the score "bland and generic," suggesting it fails to meet the game’s potential, while GRYOnline.pl criticizes the lack of dynamism in dialogues and emotional depth. Game8 points to repetitive voice acting and sound effects that risk creating audio clutter, and Slant Magazine notes that the cartoonish nature of character performances undermines the impact of the voice acting. Additionally, while several reviewers mention the music’s atmospheric qualities, a few, like PlayUA and Eurogamer Poland, offer limited specifics, indicating that the soundtrack’s uniqueness or originality may not always be clearly articulated. These critiques highlight areas where the audio design, though generally effective, occasionally falls short in delivering a more distinctive or emotionally layered experience. Overall, the consensus leans heavily toward positive assessments, with most critics agreeing that the sound design and music significantly enhance the game’s atmosphere, immersion, and narrative. While there are scattered complaints about the music’s generic nature or the voice acting’s limitations, these are outweighed by the widespread acclaim for its ability to evoke tension, melancholy, and sci-fi intrigue. The game’s audio elements are seen as a critical component of its storytelling, with standout performances from Alex Jordan and a mix of ambient, synth-driven, and genre-appropriate tracks that align with its themes. Despite minor flaws, the majority of reviewers view the sound design as a strong, cohesive force that enriches the player’s journey through the game’s isolated and morally complex world.

The majority of critics praised the voice acting in The Alters as a standout element, emphasizing its ability to distinguish the game’s clones while maintaining a cohesive identity. Multiple reviewers highlighted Alex Jordan’s performance as exceptional, noting his skill in imbuing each version of Jan with unique personalities, accents, and emotional depth. MondoXbox and TheXboxHub both praised the “realistic facial animations” and “award-winning” delivery, while ZTGD and Digital Chumps celebrated Jordan’s “convincing portrayal of multiple distinct characters” and “distinct personalities and accents.” Critics like GameSpot and IGN highlighted how the voice acting enhances narrative moments, with IGN Deutschland calling it “top-notch” and noting its role in “bringing the various versions of Jan to life.” The consensus here is that the voice acting not only distinguishes the Alters but also enriches the game’s storytelling, making each character feel distinct yet connected. While the majority lauded the voice acting, a smaller subset of critics pointed to minor flaws. GRYOnline.pl and IGN Deutschland noted that the lack of “dynamic delivery in dialogues” and “limitations in dialogue presentation” occasionally detracted from the experience, while COGconnected criticized “issues with lip syncing and some animations.” Additionally, Slant Magazine and Voxel offered more mixed feedback, with the former suggesting that “character designs undermined the performances” and the latter noting the absence of voice acting in some contexts. These critiques, though valid, were overshadowed by the overwhelming praise for the vocal work, particularly Jordan’s ability to balance variety and consistency across the Alters. Overall, the critical reception of The Alters’ voice acting is overwhelmingly positive, with nearly all reviewers acknowledging its quality and impact. The game’s ability to differentiate its clones through vocal nuance—whether through accents, tones, or emotional weight—was consistently highlighted as a major strength. Critics like Digital Trends, Finger Guns, and Gamepressure emphasized how the voice acting deepened character development and immersion, while even those with minor reservations conceded that the performances were “well-executed” and “engaging.” Despite a few critiques about technical or presentation issues, the consensus remains that the voice acting is a defining feature of the game, elevating its narrative and emotional resonance. As Shacknews and Xbox Tavern noted, the vocal work “makes each version of Jan feel unique,” cementing it as a critical highlight.

The Alters has generally received positive technical performance feedback on the Xbox Series X, with critics like MondoXbox and Vandal highlighting its stability and smooth gameplay experience. MondoXbox noted that the game maintains a consistent frame rate without multiple graphical modes, suggesting a polished and optimized release. Vandal also praised the game for having no major issues, allowing for an uninterrupted and enjoyable experience. On the PS5, IGN Spain acknowledged the game's solid technical execution, offering both fidelity and performance modes, while TheSixthAxis described it as finely balanced and well-crafted. For PC, the feedback is mixed but leans toward positive, with Combo Infinito and PLAY! Zine noting smooth performance on high-end hardware, and TechRadar Gaming emphasizing consistent frame rates across different setups. IGN Italia also praised the game for its solid optimization and ray tracing support on PC, indicating a strong technical foundation for the platform. However, the technical performance on PS5 and PC is not without its issues. BaziCenter and ElDesmarque pointed out occasional bugs and continuity errors that can break immersion, while GamersRD criticized the game's visual effects and overall presentation. GRYOnline.pl and WellPlayed highlighted language and localization problems, including untranslated text and spelling mistakes, which can be distracting. On PC, DBLTAP and Loot Level Chill reported frame drops, flickering models, and crashes, which significantly impact the experience. Xbox Tavern and Voxel also expressed concerns about long loading times, frequent slowdowns, and crashes, suggesting that the PC version may require further optimization. Additionally, Eurogamer Germany and Eurogamer Poland noted stability issues, with the latter recommending adjustments to graphical settings to maintain a smooth frame rate. Overall, the consensus among critics is that The Alters performs well technically on the Xbox Series X, with minimal issues and a polished experience. On PS5, the game is generally solid but has some bugs and immersion-breaking problems that affect the experience. For PC, the technical performance is mixed, with some reviewers praising its optimization and smooth gameplay on high-end systems, while others criticize it for crashes, frame rate drops, and poor optimization. Despite these differences, most agree that the game is stable and playable, with some issues that may be addressed in future patches or updates. While the Xbox version appears to be the most refined, the PS5 and PC versions show potential but require more polish to fully realize their capabilities.

The Alters receives praise from several critics for its strong narrative-driven replay value, particularly its branching storylines, multiple endings, and player choices that significantly influence outcomes. Reviewers like IGN Italia, XboxEra, and GameSpot highlight the game’s emphasis on decision-making, noting that each playthrough can differ based on how players manage their clones and navigate ethical dilemmas. COGconnected and PC Gamer commend its original concept and emergent gameplay, with the latter pointing to the "significant impact of player choices on the narrative and outcomes" as a key factor in encouraging multiple runs. Eurogamer Germany and Malditos Nerds also acknowledge the game’s potential for replayability through varied choices and outcomes, while Digital Chumps and Gameliner appreciate the ability to revisit key decisions and explore different paths. These perspectives underscore the game’s appeal to players seeking story exploration and moral complexity, with many emphasizing that the narrative structure inherently rewards repeated engagement. However, several critics point to gameplay mechanics and design flaws that diminish the game’s replayability. Slant Magazine and Eurogamer criticize the "simplified mechanics" and "repetitive nature of tasks," arguing that these elements make the experience less engaging on subsequent playthroughs. PCGamesN and Gamepressure highlight the tedium of resource management and restrictive save systems, which can deter players from fully exploring all narrative variants. IGN France and TheSixthAxis note that while the game’s linearity and lack of permanent progression elements hinder replayability, its focus on learning from past runs remains a double-edged sword. Gamer.no and Vandal mention that the game’s length and repetitive mechanics might make the second or third playthrough feel less rewarding, despite the promise of different outcomes. These critiques suggest that while the story is compelling, the gameplay’s constraints and lack of variety could frustrate players seeking deeper mechanical engagement. Overall, the consensus among critics is mixed but leans toward acknowledging The Alters’ replay value as a core strength, tempered by its gameplay shortcomings. While IGN Spain and Gamer.no praise the game’s ability to encourage multiple playthroughs through its "impact of player decisions" and "different choices that affect the story," others like Slant Magazine and Eurogamer argue that its repetitive systems and lack of progression elements limit its appeal. The game’s replayability is often framed as narrative-focused, with Oyungezer and Xbox Tavern noting that it caters more to story-driven players than those seeking varied gameplay styles. Despite these criticisms, many reviewers, including COGconnected and Loot Level Chill, emphasize that the game’s unique mechanics and branching paths create enough incentive for players to revisit it, even if the experience isn’t flawless. The divide reflects a balance between its story-centric design and the challenges of its gameplay execution, leaving replay value as a nuanced but generally positive aspect of the title.