The Alters

Vorph · Jun 12, 2025

I remember there was some discussion about the demo of this but I couldn't find a thread. It's probably buried in one of the Steam Next Fest threads.

Anyway, full release is tomorrow and reviews are fairly positive. It's on Game Pass Xbox and PC with full PlayAnywhere support.

kroenen · Jun 13, 2025

Qhue · Jun 16, 2025

Since it was on Game Pass I fired this up... and finished it this weekend. Given the nature of the game I have already started a second play through to explore all the stuff I didn't get a chance to do in the first time round. Game is very tied into emotions and the idea of self and men's mental health in a shockingly authentic way.

cyrusreij · Jun 16, 2025

Game is amazing so far (only in Act 1) but 11 Bit puts out great stuff (This War of Mine, Frostpunk). Plan on doing a couple run throughs.

Falstaff · Jun 17, 2025

Started this yesterday as well. Not sure what to compare it to but it’s really fun and interesting concept.

sleevedraw · Jun 17, 2025

Falstaff said:
Started this yesterday as well. Not sure what to compare it to but it’s really fun and interesting concept.

Fallout Shelter (2D base building element) + Persona (social sim) + Planet Crafter/Returnal (setting) + Frostpunk

EDIT: Forgot Death Stranding.

Falstaff · Thursday at 11:39 AM

Qhue said:
Since it was on Game Pass I fired this up... and finished it this weekend. Given the nature of the game I have already started a second play through to explore all the stuff I didn't get a chance to do in the first time round. Game is very tied into emotions and the idea of self and men's mental health in a shockingly authentic way.

I already want to start a 2nd playthrough because of the miner...

cutting his fucking arm off

sleevedraw · 2025-06-23T20:55:54-0400

Early-Mid game tips for the lazy:

The game tries to ratchet your anxiety and make you feel like you have less time than you actually do. Just breathe and execute.
In the tech tree, non-metal drill upgrades are useful for everyone.
Decide early on whether you want to focus on Enriched Metals or Metals
- Go with the Refiner if you want to focus on EMs; Miner if you want to focus on Metals; I wouldn't pick both
In terms of resource priority stockpiling, generally Metal = Organics > Minerals > Rapidium
Don't be afraid of Enriched Metals; the amount of background radiation that you get from them is pretty minimal, especially once you get a suit upgrade. Just keep you/your Alters' radiation meter below 1/3rd and cycle them out/back to the base so that they recover.
Build a Social Room ASAP and play Beer Pong with 1-2 Alters per night to keep their moods up. Movies are another option, but they are 3 hours long, so you need to micromanage time more closely to avoid winding up exhausted.
The Gym provides a passive boost to most of the Alters' moods, not necessarily just those Alters that request it
Easiest way for the game to wreck your shit is by Magnetic Storm. Prepare.
- Keep 5 Repair Kits and 5 Radiation Filters on hand at all times
- Have the Scientist research the tech that predicts when the next storm will hit, and stockpile metal and organics in advance so that you can continue to make Repair Kits, Radiation Filters, and food while the storm is going on
- Later on, there will be research for radiation repellers (slows the decay rate of Radiation Filters) and module shields (slows or entirely stops breakdown of modules). Prioritize putting these on the Dorms, Kitchen, and Workshop.
Read the memory transcripts of your Alters so that you have a better idea of how to handle them in conversation
The first conversation after an Alter comes out of the Womb generally does not go well, so don't sweat it too much. They're still drugged up.

Individual Alter tips:

Technician
- Mandatory by story
- +50% to Base Maint may seem underwhelming at the very start of the game, but you'll be thanking God you have him during Magnetic Storms
- Bit of a douche and generally likes to argue with everyone, including you
  - Very high Rebellion accrual rate personality wise. Authority issues. Tread lightly.
  - He appreciates honesty; don't beat around the bush
  - Generally will like it if you play along with his jokes at your expense, but may get insecure if you make a joke at his
  - There are a lot of items that you will be able to find in the Prologue and Act 1 to help you build your relationship with him
  - He is difficult to beat in Beer Pong, but you still get a relationship boost with him if you lose; play with him frequently
- His Lesson Learned, Assertiveness, pops up in dialogue quite frequently, and is basically a forceful way to say "no" to people. Don't want to deal with Lena? You can largely get her to stop calling by using an Assertiveness option.
Scientist
- Mandatory, but you can technically acquire Alters in any order after getting the Technician
  - You should still get him second so that you can get Research rolling ASAP, as he is the only one who can research, and there are a lot of research gates in Act 1
- Also a douche who likes to argue with everyone
  - "Not so above it all" emotionally - covertly very lonely
    - Don't call him out on this, just know that he is
    - Play to his ego
    - Will complain about social events, but his mood still benefits from Beer Pong and movies like everyone else
  - Show you're interested in science
  - Tends to respond well to "let's depend on Ally Corp/follow protocol" type responses
  - Pushing him to work hard in dialogue will generally give him positive motivation at the cost of increased anxiety, but he seems to have pretty high tolerance for anxiety.
    - If his anxiety does become a problem, Beer Pong with him; he's easy to beat
Miner
- +50% efficiency to Metals is huge, especially at the start of the game, however,
  - the guy is a dysfunctional wreck emotionally
    - New player trap
    - High risk/high reward
- Get the Infirmary, Contemplation Room, and the Shrink ASAP
- Be very very very careful with dialogue options with him - the wrong ones can lead to...untoward outcomes as Falstaff noted.
Refiner
- You'll need to put a few research points into Enriched Metals efficiency in order to get the most mileage from him, so expect a slower start (and more micromanagement from needing to deal with radiation) than you'd get from the Miner, but he's much easier to deal with as a person
- Overall, a pleasant, chill gymbro who is easy to get along with
  - Basically just be nice and he'll reciprocate
  - Not the sharpest tool in the shed, so he can benefit from you explaining things in a simple, non-condescending manner
  - Take his suggestion to build the gym, because it won't just help your relationship with him; it will also help with the other Alters
Botanist
- 100% efficiency to raw food is huge, and you'll be able to replace Mush with Cooked Meals entirely for most of the game, which further helps crew morale
  - Early on in the game, you'll have more food than Alters, and you can slot him into other duties when he's not growing or cooking food
- Soft, sensitive beta guy who wants to third wheel with you and your ex
  - Get ready to talk about your fee fees for Lena a lot and why your relationship went sour
    - This can be annoying, but his "Lesson" (Reliance) is very useful for dialogue, and you'll be able to ask Lena for help in certain story situations
Worker
- Reducing production time in the Workshop is great, but like the Miner, he does have a high risk/high reward social component
- Berniebro in space
  - SOLIDARITY FOREVER
  - Do not intentionally expose your people to hazardous conditions on the job
    - No crunch hours
    - Some radiation exposure to Enriched Metals is OK, but don't let them get radiation burns
  - He was a union boss, not just a union guy, so he has an ego. Be careful if you decide to deflate it.

More to come later.

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The Alters

Vorph

Silver Baronet of the Realm

kroenen

Regimen Morum

Qhue

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cyrusreij

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Falstaff

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sleevedraw

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Falstaff

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sleevedraw

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