Which Alter You Should Unlock Second in The Alters

Be your best self!

The Alter Key Art
Image via 11 Bit Studios

The main hook of The Alters is the Alters themselves. Each unique version of yourself comes with its strengths, weaknesses, and personal anxieties. The first Alter you’ll create as part of the story is the Technician, but your second real choice can have a significant impact on your early hours.

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Here is my recommendation for the Alter you should create right after the technician in The Alters.

Who to Create Second in The Alters

You will have plenty of options to choose from when creating your second Alter, but I highly recommend creating the Scientist version of Jan.

There are several reasons for this, and I’ll go over a few.

Unlocks Research

Jan Scientist is the only alter capable of research. Without him, you will be completely locked out of the research tab, and can’t do anything at the Research Lab module either, which has endless benefits and is very integral to progression. The lab practically improves every aspect of your base and adds plenty of new features as well.

Want more room for storage? Better mining efficiency? More tools for traversal? Better protection against radiation and magnetic storms? You’ll need the lab, and Jan Scientist is the only one who can work there. You will have to create him one way or another, or things might get complicated down the line.

He’s Not as Emotionally Needy

Most of your alters have rich personalities, anxieties, fears, and problems that you’ll have to deal with. This is one of the best parts of the game, but sometimes you need someone on your team who is a bit more confident and mentally equipped to deal with difficult situations. Jan Scientist can come off as a bit cold, but he’s the man for the job.

If you agree with his assessments and motivate him to deliver his best, you’ll find him opening up to you about his struggles and remain the smartest alter around.

This is why Jan the Scientist is the best choice for your second Alter in The Alters. He’s reliable and incredibly useful in terms of utility and unlocking new features. Going with him first will save you many headaches early on and open plenty of opportunities for smoother base management and survival.

Ali Hashmi

Ali Hashmi is a games journalist, reviewer, and guides writer with over eight years of experience covering the gaming industry across news, reviews, features, walkthroughs, and technical guides. He currently writes for Prima Games and GTA 6 Bible, and has previously contributed to Dot Esports, WhatIfGaming, GameTyrant, and The OuterHaven. With a background in Computer Science and years spent covering PC gaming, Ali has developed a strong focus on performance analysis, optimization, troubleshooting, and in-depth game coverage alongside traditional reviews and features. A longtime fan of action games, Ali spends most of his time obsessing over stylish combat systems, difficult boss fights, immersive sims, and retro shooters that feel like they were pulled straight out of the late ‘90s. When he isn’t replaying Dark Souls for the hundredth time or climbing Ascension levels in Slay the Spire, he’s usually hunting for the next indie game to recommend to everyone around him. His coverage regularly includes AAA releases, indie games, Soulslikes, survival titles, live service games, and technical PC focused guides.