IGN UK Podcast 750: Scrotus, Erectus, and Other Good Boys
May 24, 2024
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The hosts discuss cursed meals, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Hellblade 2, sci-fi survival game The Alters, and foreign film Monster. They also share unseasoned ground beef recipes, food nonsense, and recommendations for games, TV, and films.
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Quick takeaways
The Alters game features a unique base-building mechanic with a wheel-like laboratory design and specialist rooms for survival.
Players navigate a time-limited planet with a destructive celestial cycle, using a quantum computer to access the Tree of Life for past choices review.
The game offers narrative depth by allowing players to explore different versions of the protagonist, impacting gameplay and storylines based on life decisions.
Deep dives
Survival and Exploration on an Alien Planet
The Alters is a sci-fi survival game where the protagonist, Jan, wakes up on an alien planet after a crash landing, finding his team dead. He must navigate the planet, mine resources, and maintain a mobile base to survive. The base-building mechanic revolves around a unique design of a giant wheel-like laboratory with various specialist rooms.
Story-Driven Gameplay and Time Pressure
The game focuses on Jan's quest for survival while uncovering the mysteries of the planet. A key aspect is the use of a quantum computer to access the Tree of Life, reviewing Jan's past choices and branching paths in life. Players have a limited time to gather resources and progress before being overtaken by the planet's destructive celestial cycle.
Narrative Twist and Character Development
The narrative twist in The Alters lies in the player's ability to explore various versions of Jan based on his life decisions. These choices impact the gameplay and the type of character Jan becomes. By delving into Jan's past through the Tree of Life, players unlock different storylines and character developments, adding depth to the survival-focused gameplay.
Unique RPG Gameplay - Creating Alternate Versions of Yourself
Players in the game can create different versions of themselves with varying specializations and personalities, each offering unique gameplay perks. These alternate versions engage in interpersonal conversations, influencing each other's behavior and relationships based on choices made during interactions. The central mystery of the game revolves around discovering why everyone is dead and how to escape this strange planet.
Narrative Intrigue and Gameplay Variation
The game's narrative intrigue and branching system, where players birth new versions of themselves, provide depth and complexity to the gameplay. The concept of interacting with different versions of oneself creates a dynamic storytelling experience. The game's survival aspects, although present, are complemented by a strong narrative focus and unique gameplay elements, such as managing relationships and exploring mysteries.
Cardy, Matt, and Mat are here this week to talk about cursed meals they've eaten. Before all of that, though, there are thoughts on the madness that is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, why Hellblade 2 isn't quite working for them, the intriguing concept behind sci-fi survival game The Alters, and another of Cardy's foreign film recommendations in the shape of Hirokazu Kore-eda's Monster.
As ever, there’s also the regular dose of madness thanks to your feedback, including multiple unseasoned ground beef recipes.
Send in your food nonsense to ign_ukfeedback@ign.com (or questions and thoughts about games, TV, and films – we should probably stay on topic at least 60% of the time).
