The Alters vs Silent Hill f

• 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.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: 1960s Rural Japan
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Unique Feature: The first mainline Silent Hill game set in Japan, written by acclaimed visual novel writer Ryukishi07, with a deep, replayable narrative structure and a focus on action-oriented melee combat.

• 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)

• 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.

• Documents: A total of 93 collectibles are in the game, with 37 trophy-relevant documents being essential for piecing together the full story across multiple playthroughs.
• Omamori Charms: 17 hidden charms found throughout the world or purchased from shrines. These are equippable items that provide crucial passive buffs.
• Ema (Character Upgrades): 22 wooden plaques that are spent at shrines to permanently increase Hinako’s core stats.
• Inventory Upgrades: Six hidden upgrades that increase Hinako's extremely limited inventory space. Two are exclusively found in New Game+.

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

• Psychological Horror
• Survival Horror
• Japanese Folklore
• Body Horror
• 1960s Japan
• Mature

• Heavy Weapons: Melee
  Slow but powerful weapons like axes and sledgehammers.
• Medium Weapons: Melee
  Balanced weapons like pipes, baseball bats, and crowbars.
• Light Weapons: Melee
  Fast but weak weapons like sickles and knives.
• Toolkits: Utility
  A consumable item used to restore the durability of a melee weapon, preventing it from breaking.

• 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.

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.

Progression is based on a classic survival horror model. Players find 'Ema' (Character Upgrades) to increase Hinako's core stats (Health, Stamina, Sanity) at 'Hokora Shrines' using a currency called 'Faith'. The game also features 'Omamori' charms, which are equippable passive buffs that are crucial for customizing Hinako's abilities and survival style.

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.

The game is not a full open world but features highly detailed, interconnected linear areas based on the real-life location of Kanayama, Gero. The structure consists of multiple visits to the town of Ebisugaoka, interspersed with journeys into key locations like the Shrine Path, Ebisugaoka Middle School, and the horrific Otherworld, known as the Dark Shrine.

• 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.

• Hinako Shimizu: Playable Protagonist
  A high school student struggling with a traumatic home life, whose psychological state manifests as the game's horrifying world.
• Shiromuku: Boss
  The final boss of the first playthrough, a lanky, decaying shrine maiden.
• Tsukumogami: Boss
  A powerful boss encountered in New Game+, a mound of porcelain dolls that can transform into a centipede.
• Kyubi: Boss
  A formidable fox-like boss encountered in the path to the true ending.

• 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.

• Main Story Campaign
  A linear, 10-12 hour campaign that follows Hinako's journey through Ebisugaoka and the Otherworld. The story is designed to be replayed multiple times to uncover new scenes, bosses, and endings.

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.

• 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.

• Q: What is Silent Hill f?
  A: It is the first new mainline Silent Hill game since 2012. It's a single-player survival horror game set in 1960s Japan, with a story written by acclaimed visual novel writer Ryukishi07.
• Q: Is it a 'Soulslike' game?
  A: No. While the combat is challenging and action-focused, the developers have stated it is a survival horror game at its core, not a Soulslike. The focus is on resource management and puzzle-solving, not just difficult combat.
• Q: How many endings does the game have?
  A: There are five distinct endings. Achieving all of them requires a minimum of three full playthroughs, including New Game+ and NG+2, and meeting specific, strict conditions.
• Q: Is there any gun combat?
  A: No, the combat is strictly melee-focused. Due to the 1960s Japanese setting and strict gun laws of the era, there are no firearms available to the player.

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 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 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.

• 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

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. These specifications reflect the demands of the Unreal Engine 5 build. The PC version is noted to have significant shader compilation stuttering issues, particularly on first playthrough.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary based on the model's cooling and TGP. Due to UE5 stuttering issues, a powerful CPU and an SSD are critical for a smoother experience.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle high graphical settings and resolutions, especially with the game's atmospheric fog and lighting.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU is critical for mitigating the severe shader compilation stutter that affects the game, particularly on lower-end hardware.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in the timing-based combat.
• Game Name: Silent Hill f

• 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: 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.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle high graphical settings and resolutions, especially with the game's atmospheric fog and lighting.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU is critical for mitigating the severe shader compilation stutter that affects the game, particularly on lower-end hardware.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in the timing-based combat.