One of the most enjoyable SF hits of last year is soon becoming even bigger.
The Polish studio 11 bit studios has confirmed that The Alters will receive its first major expansion titled Last Variable on July 13, which, according to initial information, is content that could nearly double the total playtime of the game.
Developers claim that the DLC brings more than 20 hours of new content, which is particularly impressive considering that it takes roughly the same amount of time to complete the main story of The Alters. This time, the story will focus on an older version of Jan Scientist, one of the alternative Jan identities. Unlike the events of the original game, this version of the protagonist has remained on the planet to continue the life-changing research.
As in the main campaign, the game will once again explore themes of identity, choice, and the consequences of decisions, but from a completely new perspective.
However, Last Variable will not only bring a new story.
Among the biggest novelties is a completely new underground base that players will build and develop throughout the campaign, as well as new gameplay systems related to terraforming the planet. Instead of the harsh and inhospitable environment we remember from the base game, players will be able to gradually transform parts of the planet into green oases full of life. Developers describe this system as one of the key mechanics of the entire expansion, and along with it comes a significantly refined gameplay loop that should further deepen the strategic aspect of survival. Given that The Alters already successfully combined survival elements, base management, and psychological drama in its base version, this addition sounds like a natural continuation of the ideas the game has already explored.
The price of the DLC has not yet been confirmed, but Last Variable is included in the Deluxe edition of the game. The difference between the standard and Deluxe editions currently amounts to about 10 euros, so it is expected that the DLC itself will fall within a similar price range.
For those who missed the original, The Alters was one of the biggest surprises in the genre last year. Instead of a classic SF adventure, the game offered a story about a man forced to live and collaborate with alternative versions of himself, each representing a different life path and different choices. The result was an unusual blend of survival, base management, and a deeply personal story about who we are and what we could have become.
If Last Variable manages to maintain that level of quality, players could receive one of the most significant single-player expansions of the year this summer. And with more than 20 hours of new content, this definitely does not look like an ordinary DLC, but almost like a completely new campaign.
