The Alters drops huge surprise update seemingly designed for me specifically

What would you do if you had a legion of clones to do your bidding? I'd get one to go to work for me, Severance-style. One could plough through my backlog of games and tell me which ones are actually worth my time. I'd have another tasked with cooking me nice food at all times. And one would let me know whenever The Alters gets an update. That one would be real handy about now, as the hit survival game has just dropped a huge new patch, free of charge. What do you mean the clones have feelings too?

The Alters is especially clever because of how it manages the crafting and base building elements of the game. Your workforce isn't just a faceless mass of civilian workers, it's, well, you. While it doesn't quite reach Bobiverse levels of sci-fi shenanigans, there's a personal angle to the narrative that developer 11 bit studios nailed to elevate the game above others in the genre.

The Alters was criminally underrated this year, plagued by a generative AI discourse that felt a little unfair upon release, which sadly overshadowed a fantastic game. However, this exciting new update should bring it back to the forefront of players' minds.

The update adds some huge features, including the long-awaited photo mode and a fully playable card game. If my Gwent-only Witcher 3 playthrough is anything to go by, that will suck me into another 50 hours of clone-based card action on its own. 11 bit studios has also added custom skins for your base and spacesuits, and added difficulty options for those who want an easier ride.

I wasn't too bothered about the new Gamer's Den module you can add to your base until I saw that it includes a Warhammer painting setup alongside the sofas and other gaming gear. This won't be a full minigame, but I'll still task one of my clones with getting through my pile of shame when I jump back into the game. If you're cooler than me, there's beer pong, too.

Relax mode reduces the survival challenges of the game so you can see the story at your own pace, perfect for players who don't want the stress of resource management but want to get in on the clone action. The new save system also helps here, allowing you to return to major decisions if you don't like the consequences that appear before you. Personally, I'm one to live with my poor choices, but I can see why this would be a popular option.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly (other than the card game), there's a whole new noir storyline, with a mystery to solve. The trailer reveals scant details about this, but that's probably for the best, as we'll get the chance to figure out what's going on for ourselves.

The Alters' first major update is available now on Steam. You can download it here for free, or get one of your clones to do it for you if you're really lazy. Seriously, it's clicking like, three buttons.

I understand if you think this update was made for me specifically - there's even a clone with a mullet and a moustache - but I'm sure you'll enjoy it, too. If you're at all interested in the narrative evolution of the survival genre, The Alters is the best example I've played this year, if not ever. The new update adds a bunch of quality of life updates and some bits just for fun, so it's the perfect time to jump in if you haven't visited the ALCORP Stellar System before.