Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown vs The Alters

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: A desolate, alien planet
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Game Pass
• Unique Feature: A unique blend of base-building survival with a deep, psychological narrative about managing alternate versions of oneself, each with distinct personalities and skills.

• PADD Holographic Assistant: Analyzes planetary scan data in real-time, providing statistical success probabilities for upcoming Away Team skill checks.
  Computer Subroutine Entity
• Neelix (Morale Guide): Serves morale-boosting alien meals in the mess hall and advises the captain on indigenous Delta Quadrant cultures and etiquette.
  Talaxian Native Guide

• The Alters: The Alters are the core companions and crew. They are not passive followers but fully interactive characters with their own skills, needs, and personalities. They perform tasks assigned by the player, such as mining, cooking, researching, and repairing, but also require social interaction and management to prevent conflicts and maintain morale.
  Human (Alternate Versions)

• Starfleet Database Cylinders: Salvaged from derelict probe casings and ruined Starfleet beacons; unlocks advanced R&D technology blueprints at Astrometrics.
• Delta Quadrant Spatial Cartography Logs: Compiled from scanning uncharted nebulae and stellar rifts; unlocks navigation shortcuts that bypass dangerous enemy territory.
• Dilithium & Antimatter Canisters: Mined from deep asteroid fields or traded at trading posts; critical fuel resources needed to initiate warp travel and maintain life support.

• Personal Logs: Datapads and audio logs left behind by the original, deceased crew members of the crashed ship. These provide backstory on the mission and the events leading to the crash.
• Geological Samples: Unique mineral or organic samples found during exploration. These can be analyzed in the Research Lab to unlock new technologies or provide insight into the planet's ecosystem.

• Star Trek Lore
• Deep Space Survival
• Delta Quadrant Exploration
• Starship Deck Management
• Moral Choices
• Alternate Timelines

• Existentialism
• Identity
• Regret
• What If Scenarios
• Psychological Drama
• Survival
• Resource Management
• Interpersonal Dynamics
• Sci-Fi
• Isolation

• Type X Phaser Array: Ship-Mounted Directed Energy Weapon
  Starfleet beam weapon mounted along the saucer and engineering hulls, capable of sustaining continuous thermal fire on hostile shielding.
• Photon Torpedoes: Antimatter Heavy Ordnance
  Standard matter-antimatter warheads fired from forward and aft tubes, delivering high-explosive concussive damage to unshielded enemy hulls.
• Quantum Torpedoes: Zero-Point Energy Ordnance
  Advanced tactical munitions utilizing zero-point vacuum energy detonation, penetrating fortified shields and armored bulkheads.
• Tricobalt Explosive Devices: Subspace Warhead
  Extremely high-yield warheads capable of tearing localized subspace tears, used sparingly against heavily fortified stationary space stations.
• Compression Phaser Rifle: Away Team Small Arm
  Standard Starfleet infantry rifle firing pulse and continuous beam discharges with variable stun, thermal, and disintegration power settings.

• Regenerative Deflector Shields: Shield Capacity +1000, Re-modulation Rate +35%; advanced energy barrier deflecting phased energy weapons and physical torpedo impacts.
• Ablative Hull Armor Plating: Hull Integrity +60%, Direct Energy Dissipation +40%; sacrificial layered titanium armor that vaporizes under fire to protect interior decks.
• Hazard Team Exosuit: Radiation Shielding +90%, Toxic Atmospheric Immunity +100%, Away Team Survival +30%; pressurized combat suit for extreme landing zones.

• Worker Suit: Jan and his Alters wear a standard worker suit. While not 'armor' in a combat sense, it is essential for survival outside the base. It has a limited energy supply that powers tools and must be recharged with batteries. Upgrades likely focus on improving its efficiency or radiation resistance.

• Starfleet 2370s Duty Uniform: Classic black jumpsuit with departmental shoulder division colors (Command Red, Operations Gold, Sciences Teal) and rank pips.
• Maquis Leather Combat Vest: Rugged civilian leather vest adorned with utility webbings and customized weapon holsters worn by former freedom fighters.
• Hazard Team Armored Uniform: Reinforced ballistic combat fatigues featuring composite chest plating and magnetic utility clips for away-mission operations.

Progression is split between crew specialization and starship engineering. Voyager's interior functions as a multi-deck cross-section where players clear debris, construct specialized rooms (Hydroponics, Astrometrics, Sickbay Bio-Beds, Torpedo Fabrication Bays, and Holodecks), and assign crew members based on their engineering, medical, tactical, and science proficiencies. Crew members possess unique Hero abilities: Janeway boosts tactical morale and command resolve, Tuvok grants precision targeting on sub-systems, B'Elanna Torres supercharges warp core efficiency and repairs hull breaches on the fly, Seven of Nine integrates Borg nanite upgrades for adaptive shields, and The Doctor deploys emergency medical protocols. Starship upgrades include regenerative shielding, bio-neural circuitry, quantum torpedo launchers, and ablative hull armor.

Progression is tied to base expansion and research. Creating Alters with specific skills (e.g., Scientist, Technician, Miner) unlocks new capabilities. The Scientist Alter can work in the Research Lab to unlock new technologies, base modules, and crafting recipes. The Technician can repair the base more efficiently. Upgrades focus on improving the base's efficiency, resource production, and survivability against environmental threats.

The campaign takes place across 12 expansive, procedurally generated sectors spanning the Delta Quadrant. Major regions include the Badlands Border (where plasma cyclones and spatial rifts first stranded the ship), the Kazon Expanse (a barren, resource-depleted territory dominated by warring Kazon-Ogla and Kazon-Nistrim sects), the Vidiian Necro-Space (a grim expanse haunted by Vidiian Phage harvesters), the Hirogen Hunting Grounds (vast asteroid belts and sensor-blind nebulas used as hunting preserves), the Malon Void (a toxic expanse polluted by theta-radiation waste transports), and the dread Borg Space (a horrifying sector dominated by transwarp conduits, assimilation stations, and Borg Cubes).

The game is structured across several large, distinct maps that Jan must traverse in sequence. Each map represents a different biome of the alien planet, presenting unique environmental hazards, resources, and exploration challenges. The gameplay is not a seamless open world but a series of large, explorable zones that the mobile base travels between.

• U.S.S. Voyager (NCC-74656): Intrepid-Class Starship
  Starfleet deep-space exploration vessel featuring variable-geometry warp nacelles, bio-neural circuitry, and 15 customizable interior decks.
• The Delta Flyer: Heavy Armored Shuttlecraft
  Custom-designed high-performance shuttlecraft engineered by Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres to withstand intense gravitational and hostile combat environments.
• U.S.S. Equinox (NCC-72381): Nova-Class Science Vessel (DLC)
  A compact Starfleet planetary research vessel commanded by Captain Rudolph Ransom, playable in the Q Trials roguelite mode.

• Kazon Hunting Vorn: Predatory Reptilian Carnivore
  Savage trained hunting beast utilized by Kazon raiding parties to track down runaway slaves and away-team scouts in arid badlands.
• Species 8472 Bio-Ship Organism: Extra-Dimensional Organic Entity
  Living, bioship organism made of dense biological tissue resistant to conventional phaser fire, capable of firing devastating planetary beams.
• Delta Quadrant Plasma Jellyfish: Spaceborne Energy Creature
  Non-sentient space-faring fauna that feeds on starship warp plasma conduits, requiring delicate evasive maneuvering.
• Talaxian Swamp Strider: Amphibious Delta Herbivore
  Docile tall-legged fauna found on swamp worlds, harvested by Neelix for nutritious culinary broth ingredients.

• Captain Kathryn Janeway: Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Voyager
  Determined and principled Starfleet captain holding the disparate crew together on an impossible 70,000-light-year journey back home.
• Commander Chakotay: First Officer
  Former Maquis rebel leader whose spiritual grounding, tactical insight, and diplomatic leadership bridge Starfleet and Maquis factions.
• Seven of Nine: Astrometrics & Tactical Specialist
  De-assimilated human Borg drone who uses cold mathematical efficiency and deep knowledge of collective technology to save Voyager.
• The Doctor (EMH): Chief Medical Officer
  Emergency Medical Holographic Program Mark I who outgrew his programming to become the compassionate, artistic healer of the crew.
• Captain Rudolph Ransom: Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Equinox
  Desperate captain of the stranded Nova-class vessel whose moral compromises test the limits of Starfleet ethics in the Equinox DLC.

• Jan Dolski (The Player): Protagonist / Base Leader
  The original Jan, a simple worker whose choices led him to this mission. He is the player character and is responsible for creating and managing his alternate selves.
• Jan Technician: Alter / Engineer
  The first Alter created. Pragmatic and skilled with machinery, he is essential for base repairs but has a cynical and sometimes abrasive personality.
• Jan Scientist: Alter / Researcher
  A career-driven and ambitious Alter who excels at research, unlocking new technologies for the base. His ambition can lead to friction with the other Jans.
• Jan Miner: Alter / Resource Gatherer
  A hardy Alter with skills in geology and mining, making him more efficient at extracting resources from the planet's surface.
• Jan Botanist: Alter / Biologist
  An Alter with a green thumb, skilled in cultivating food within the base. He is crucial for upgrading the crew's diet from nutrient mush to proper meals, significantly boosting morale.
• Jan Doctor: Alter / Medic
  An Alter with medical expertise who can work in the Infirmary to drastically speed up the healing of injured or irradiated Alters.

• The Caretaker's Legacy: Prologue & Moral Dilemma
  Survey the Ocampa subterranean homeworld, extract vital supplies before Kazon warships arrive, and determine the fate of the Caretaker's Array.
• In the Lion's Den: Diplomatic Away Mission
  Conduct high-stakes diplomatic negotiations with a Kazon-Nistrim warlord to trade for clean water and deuterium without breaching the Prime Directive.
• The Scorpion Gambit: Tactical Fleet Battle & Alliance
  Forge a perilous tactical alliance with a damaged Borg Cube, coordinating phaser arrays to repel an extradimensional swarm from Species 8472.

• Main Story Acts
  The game is structured in a prologue and three main acts. The primary objective is to survive, expand the base, create the necessary Alters, and successfully move the mobile base across the planet's surface to escape the encroaching, lethal sunrise.
• Alter Storylines
  Each Alter has their own personal storyline and emotional needs. These manifest as side tasks and dialogue encounters where the player must make choices to resolve conflicts, improve morale, or deal with the consequences of their past decisions.
• Resource Expeditions
  A core gameplay loop that involves sending Jan outside the base during safe periods to explore the environment, locate resource deposits (metals, organics, Rapidium), and set up mining rigs to gather materials needed for crafting and base expansion.

The game is intentionally designed as a purely single-player strategic survival simulator. Focus on solo play enables deep narrative branching, paused tactical decision-making, granular starship power management, and high-stakes ethical dilemmas where every crew member's life or death carries lasting emotional and operational weight throughout the 75-year journey.

The game is available in two main editions: The Standard Edition ($39.99 USD) contains the complete base campaign across 12 sectors, standard away missions, and the free 'Q Trials' roguelite update. The Deluxe Edition ($44.99 USD) bundles the base game with the 'Original Soundtrack' composed by Florian Bodenschatz, the digital concept art book, and unique bridge cosmetics. An Expansion Pass ($19.99 USD) grants access to all post-launch content, including the newly released 'Equinox DLC' ($9.99 USD standalone), which allows players to command Captain Rudolph Ransom's doomed Nova-class science vessel U.S.S. Equinox in Q Trials.

The game was released with a Standard Edition and a Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition includes the base game, a digital artbook, and the original soundtrack. A physical Signature Edition with collectibles like a 'Pierogi Press' was also available from specific retailers.

Gamexcite and Daedalic have supported the game with continuous post-launch content. Released on October 1, 2026, the free 'Q Trials' update introduced a fast-paced, run-based roguelite mode featuring John de Lancie's Q, complete with meta-progression, customizable modifiers, and procedural challenges. Alongside it, the 'Equinox DLC' added the playable Nova-class U.S.S. Equinox, its crew (Captain Rudolph Ransom, Maxwell Burke, and Noah Lessing), and the exclusive 'Spirits of Good Fortune' narrative questline. Further planned DLC packs will explore alternate quadrant factions and experimental drive technologies.

• Q: What is Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown?
  A: It is an official story-driven rogue-lite survival strategy starship simulator developed by Gamexcite and published by Daedalic Entertainment, putting players in command of the U.S.S. Voyager in the Delta Quadrant.
• Q: When was the game released?
  A: Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown officially released on February 18, 2026, with the Equinox DLC and Q Trials update releasing on October 1, 2026.
• Q: What is the core gameplay loop?
  A: Players manage internal deck construction, allocate ship power systems during real-time tactical combat, navigate 12 procedurally generated sectors, and resolve away-mission dilemmas.
• Q: What is the 'Q Trials' game mode?
  A: Q Trials is a free, run-based roguelite mode hosted by the omnipotent entity Q, featuring fast-paced challenges, meta-progression, customizable modifiers, and unlocked technology trees.
• Q: What platforms can I play on?
  A: The game is available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

• Q: What kind of game is The Alters?
  A: It's a unique sci-fi game that blends base-building and resource management with a deep, psychological narrative about survival and identity. It has been described as a mix of 'This War of Mine', 'Fallout Shelter', and a narrative adventure game.
• Q: Is there combat in The Alters?
  A: No, the game is non-violent. The primary challenges come from survival against the harsh environment, managing resources, and navigating the complex social dynamics between the different versions of Jan.
• Q: How do you 'create' an Alter?
  A: Using a quantum computer, the player explores a branching tree of Jan's past life choices. By selecting a different path (e.g., 'What if Jan became a scientist?'), a new Alter with the corresponding skills and personality is manifested using a rare resource called Rapidium.
• Q: Is The Alters on Game Pass?
  A: Yes, The Alters was available on day one on both Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.

Built in Unreal Engine 5, the game renders the exterior of the U.S.S. Voyager and surrounding starships with exquisite fidelity. Hull plating displays realistic scuffs, scorch marks, and physical hull breaches following torpedo strikes. Dynamic lighting illuminates planetary rings, glowing plasma storms, and the eerie green hue of Borg vessels. Inside, the cutaway deck view provides charming animated dioramas of crew members working, sleeping in quarters, eating in the mess hall, or tending to injured officers in sickbay.

Built on Unreal Engine, the game features a distinct visual style with a striking, alien planet filled with bizarre, physics-defying anomalies and beautiful yet menacing landscapes. The mobile base is highly detailed, with a modular, industrial aesthetic.

The game features an evocative musical score composed by Florian Bodenschatz, paying tribute to Jerry Goldsmith's triumphant Voyager theme while weaving somber, atmospheric synth chords reflecting the isolation of the Delta Quadrant. Sound effects are meticulously authentic to the franchise: the gentle low-frequency hum of the warp core, the iconic red alert sirens, chirp badges, transporter dematerialization hums, and thunderous phaser beam discharges. Official voice acting brings Captain Janeway and the bridge crew to life during key narrative cutscenes.

The game features a full voice cast for Jan and all his Alters, with the same actor (Alex Jordan) delivering nuanced performances for each personality. The soundtrack is atmospheric and emotional, emphasizing the themes of isolation and introspection. The launch trailer notably featured the song 'We Might Be Dead by Tomorrow' by Soko.

The user interface masterfully replicates the beloved LCARS (Library Computer Access and Retrieval System) aesthetic of 24th-century Star Trek. Featuring iconic curved color-blocked layouts in pastel oranges, purples, and blues, players navigate star systems, power distribution schematics, and personnel rosters with intuitive keyboard, mouse, or gamepad radial wheels. Clear warning indicators alert the bridge to hull breaches, plasma coolant leaks, crew exhaustion, and shield-facing depletion during real-time tactical combat.

The UI features a time bar at the top of the screen, indicating the safe daylight hours for exploration. Menus on the left side show the status and mood of each Alter and current tasks. A resource counter is displayed at the bottom. The interface is designed to provide critical survival and management information at a glance.

Gamexcite has implemented extensive accessibility options: multiple gameplay difficulty presets (ranging from an easy narrative-focused 'Cadet' mode to the unforgiving 'Fleet Captain' survival challenge), fully rebindable controls, adjustable text scaling and high-contrast LCARS colorblind themes (Protanopia, Deuteranopia, Tritanopia), toggleable active-pause during space combat, and comprehensive subtitle customization with speaker labels.

• Engineered in Unreal Engine 5 utilizing high-detail volumetric nebula rendering, dynamic ship hull damage tessellation, and complex multi-room deck management physics. Requires a 64-bit Windows 11 installation and DirectX 12 hardware. An SSD is recommended for rapid procedural sector generation and seamless away-mission load transitions.
• Laptop Performance Note: Unreal Engine 5's internal lighting and volumetric particle effects during heavy tactical engagements with multiple capital ships put sustained demands on mobile GPUs and CPUs. Gaming laptops should maintain at least 75W to 110W TGP and run on elevated cooling stands to avoid thermal throttling during multi-stage space battles.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Ensure mobile GeForce RTX or Radeon RX GPUs sustain at least 75W-105W TGP to prevent clock throttling when rendering volumetric particle storms and beam weapon arrays.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Multi-threaded crew pathfinding and continuous starship power simulation demand sustained multi-core CPU throughput; active laptop cooling pads help preserve max boost clocks.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Set Windows Power Delivery to High Performance to ensure continuous high instruction rates during chaotic multi-ship tactical skirmishes.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Enabling discrete GPU mode via internal MUX switch minimizes latency and ensures smooth camera panning across Voyager's complex cross-sectional decks.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Supports AMD FSR 3, NVIDIA DLSS 2/3, Intel XeSS, and Unreal TSR temporal super-resolution.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Volumetric Fog Density, Screen-Space Reflections, Dynamic Lighting Quality, and Particle FX have the most significant impact on rendering performance.
• Game Name: Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown

• OFFICIAL AND EXTRAPOLATED SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for The Alters. This information is based on official PC specifications, with the inclusion of current and future-generation GPUs as requested. Laptop and 50-series GPU equivalents are estimated based on performance benchmarks and industry expectations as of July 2025.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop models of the listed desktop GPUs and CPUs should offer comparable performance. This is heavily dependent on the laptop's specific configuration, including TGP (Total Graphics Power) for the GPU and the cooling system's effectiveness for both the CPU and GPU. Given the listed requirements, most modern gaming laptops should provide a good experience, but checking reviews for thermal performance is recommended.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: A higher TGP for the laptop's GPU will generally lead to better and more consistent framerates, which is important for a smooth gameplay experience.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Efficient cooling is crucial to prevent thermal throttling, which can significantly reduce performance during extended gaming sessions.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: The game's performance can be influenced by the CPU's power limits. A laptop with good power delivery to the CPU will ensure the processor can maintain its boost clocks.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: For optimal performance and to minimize latency, a laptop with a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended, as it allows the dedicated GPU to send frames directly to the display.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: The game supports upscaling technologies including NVIDIA DLSS 3 (with Frame Generation for 40/50 series) and AMD FSR. These can significantly boost performance, especially at higher resolutions.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Performance will be most affected by settings such as shadow quality, texture quality, effects detail, and anti-aliasing. Adjusting these settings can help achieve a balance between visual quality and framerate.
• Game Name: The Alters

• Upscaling Tech: Supports AMD FSR 3, NVIDIA DLSS 2/3, Intel XeSS, and Unreal TSR temporal super-resolution.
• Key Settings Impact: Volumetric Fog Density, Screen-Space Reflections, Dynamic Lighting Quality, and Particle FX have the most significant impact on rendering performance.

• Upscaling Tech: The game supports upscaling technologies including NVIDIA DLSS 3 (with Frame Generation for 40/50 series) and AMD FSR. These can significantly boost performance, especially at higher resolutions.
• Key Settings Impact: Performance will be most affected by settings such as shadow quality, texture quality, effects detail, and anti-aliasing. Adjusting these settings can help achieve a balance between visual quality and framerate.

• G P U T G P: Ensure mobile GeForce RTX or Radeon RX GPUs sustain at least 75W-105W TGP to prevent clock throttling when rendering volumetric particle storms and beam weapon arrays.
• Cooling Thermals: Multi-threaded crew pathfinding and continuous starship power simulation demand sustained multi-core CPU throughput; active laptop cooling pads help preserve max boost clocks.
• C P U Power Limits: Set Windows Power Delivery to High Performance to ensure continuous high instruction rates during chaotic multi-ship tactical skirmishes.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Enabling discrete GPU mode via internal MUX switch minimizes latency and ensures smooth camera panning across Voyager's complex cross-sectional decks.

• G P U T G P: A higher TGP for the laptop's GPU will generally lead to better and more consistent framerates, which is important for a smooth gameplay experience.
• Cooling Thermals: Efficient cooling is crucial to prevent thermal throttling, which can significantly reduce performance during extended gaming sessions.
• C P U Power Limits: The game's performance can be influenced by the CPU's power limits. A laptop with good power delivery to the CPU will ensure the processor can maintain its boost clocks.
• M U X Switch Optimus: For optimal performance and to minimize latency, a laptop with a MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is recommended, as it allows the dedicated GPU to send frames directly to the display.