The developer behind post-apocalyptic city-builder Frostpunk 2, 11 bit Studios, released the first preview for its upcoming third-person narrative title, The Alters, which shows off some gameplay and offers players a glimpse into the game's story.
The game comes as 11 bit studios is not generally known for making titles that feel and look like Gears of War. The developer is most popular for its themed-building or survival-management simulators such as This War of Mine and the Frostpunk franchise.
The Alters First Preview
(Photo : 11 Bit Studios / Screenshot taken from Steam)
Some of the people who were able to play the upcoming game early experienced some of what it had to offer. It features ledge-mantling, line-of-sight puzzles, and diverse environments. The latter includes wide routes through rock formations.
The opening region of The Alters looks familiar to Returnal's stormy purgatorial planet and has cliffs of combed and fissured, slate-blue rock. The studio's new game also has an encompassing level design that seemingly takes inspiration from the Uncharted franchise.
This is seen in its brightly-colored or luminous objects such as flares and parachutes that help guide players along paths. These routes meander just enough to create the impression of a much larger world, according to Rock Paper Shotgun.
Despite having a major third-person perspective, The Alters still features a side-scrolling management mechanic. This is seen with players being able to show off their city-building skills by creating a proper base with various facilities.
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The game's protagonist, Jan Dolski, trots between player-constructed compartments, which seemingly look similar to Fallout Shelter's vault rooms, strung inside a giant metallic wheel. It also features crafting and building menus that players can dive into and you will need to keep an eye on resource counters.
Players will also need to spend a lot of their time out in the world and exploring the hostile planet while setting up extraction facilities to gather resources. One of the structures that you can build is Death Stranding-style pylons that will carry resources to your wheel home.
Managing Alternate Versions of Yourself
The story of the game has the protagonist being stranded on an alien planet and is tasked with managing the mobile laboratory. If it stops moving, then the planet's orbit will catch up with him and he will be burned by the heat of the nearby sun, said IGN.
Being alone is not enough as the laboratory requires a team of specialists to run, which forces Jan to create more of himself who is slightly different. These "Alters" are not clones but rather alternate people who come from alternate realities,
Players will need to learn to work with their alternate selves, who each have their own strengths, weaknesses, and ambitions. This is the core feature of The Alters, which is an introspective survival game about self-discovery.
Game director Tomasz Kisilwicz said that the latest game is a "big shift" from the relatively simple gameplay and art style of This War of Mine. It was a title that he and lead designer Rafal Wlosek worked on in the past that was well-received by players worldwide, according to PCGamer.
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