The Alters Endings Guide – All Endings Explained

The choice system in The Alters is one of the more impressive of recent years, with branching paths that lead into further branching paths. In this guide, we break down all the endings we experienced and how we got there.

Important: When playing as Jan in the finale, the conversation choices with the Rescue Team can change the ending. If Jan says “I told you, I have nothing to declare“, it will stop the player being able to use either the Explosives or the Sleeping Gas and give the achievement “All By Myself” for finishing the game and leaving the Alters at the mercy of the corporation.

This is our first pass of the game. Certain choices, made during Act 1 and 2, impact the outcomes. We’re playing through the game again to gather more information.

If you want to get one of the better endings, you need to have at least two [Lessons] learned.

What Influences The Ending In The Alters

There are many elements of the game that impact the final ending. This list is unlikely to be exhaustive, but it’s what we’ve figured out so far

• Lena helping to disable the neural devices
• The amount of Rapidium Arks constructed
• Whether Jan swaps with Jan Botanist at the end
• Whether Jan sides with Lena or Lucas or Maxwell during several key segments
• Whether Jan decided to use the neural devices or Tabula Rasa
• Whether Jan Scientist leaves the Alters near the end
• Whether Jan sides with Agatha

News Report

In all the endings, Jan will hear a newscast based on the Rapidium Arks you created. If you did not create enough (5 Rapidium Arks), you will hear of riots due to food shortages and an expert questioning the integrity of Ally Corporation due to their shortsighted greed due to such a low supply of Rapidium.

If you decide to side with Markus and return with enough Rapidium, the news reports will say that the mega corporations have failed to find Rapidium, because Markus has taken it for himself and his new allies. You learn that Markus has started his own company abroad and while publicily denouncing Ally Corps actions, he makes no public declaration of his Rapidium stash.

If you created enough Rapidium Arks and used Lucas to help try to escape, the news report celebrates multiple Rapidium Farms being created, solving the hunger crisis plaguing the Earth.

Do Nothing

This is the All By Myself ending (leaving the Alters at the mercy of others). This ending sees Jan return to Earth, still bound by his contract to Ally Corporation. He becomes a hero of sorts, doing interviews and attending charity dinners. Ally Corporation is willing to provide Jan with increased expenses cost, a bigger apartment, and health care, but they will not reveal the location or wellbeing of Jan’s Alters.

Lena and Jan are not friends, and she actively avoids him. She has been promoted to Director of the Department of Rapidium Technologies at Ally Corp.

As Jan leaves the apartment, there is an encrypted message from “J” on his computer, but no other information is given on the whereabouts of the Alters.

Alternatively, if you decide to go with Maxwell and choose the Do Nothing option, it’s different. It unlocks the Maxwell’s Path achievement. When you return to Earth, Maxwell has a plane waiting for you to take you out of the country. Ally Corp believes the ship was lost and Jan is dead. Neither Lucas or Lena will have any further contact with Jan

Plant The Sleeping Gas On The Ship (Lena)

Once you have summoned the Rescue Team you will need to leave the ship to greet them. After some investigation of the Rapidium containers, they will eventually board the base as long as you use two [Lessons] to respond.

If you choose to plant the sleeping gas on the ship, Jan quietly places the sleeping gas on the Rescue Teams ship while they investigate the base. He then installs the Autopilot Device you made earlier.

When Jan returns to Earth, it’s slightly different from Jan Botanists ending. Sarah is his laywer and confidant, not Lena. Jan learns that Lucas testified against him in court. Unlike in the case of the Jan Botanist ending, the accusations stand and Lucas is considered a credible witness.

Jan is looking at 5-10 years jail time or probation, whereas Jan Botanist just gets a few months house arrest. Lena is fired from Ally Corp. but gives a statement defending Jan and telling the courts how he was a changed man (this is if she helped with the Neural devices)

As Jan leaves the apartment, he sees the cryptic message from “J” on the computers and the photos signs “From J2J” suggesting that the Alters are alive and well.

Plant The Sleeping Gas On The Ship (Lucas)

If you built enough Rapidium Arks to get Lucas to help you, after planting sleeping gas, you can instead Equip the RAT. When you return to Earth Jan is facing trial and Maxwell is trying to blame him for everything. Lucas testifies’ before the trial, exposing Maxwell’s history of illegal experiments, and potentially leading to Jan getting acquitted.

Lena also agrees to testify against Maxwell although she will refuse all contact with Jan unless you finished the game on good terms with her.

Blow Up The Base

Jan blows up the base while the Rescue Team is aboard and then uses the Auto Pilot Device to take the rescue ship. This ending plays out nearly identically to the Sleeping Gas ending apart from the fact that Sarah, Jan’s lawyer, mentions that killing the Rescue Team is going to hurt Jan’s case.

Jan Botanist Ending

This is The Corporate Way achievement for finishing the game in the side of Ally Corporation. Jan Botanist returns to Earth and stands trial as Jan. Lucas will testify. If you did not support him and Maxwell, he will testify against you. Jan Botanist clears the trial and only gets 12-18 months home confinement, following the advice and script given to him by Ally Corporation. He remains close with Lena and they look to rekindle their relationship.

As Jan Botanist leaves the apartment, the games shows an encrypted message from “J” on the computer, as well as several signed post cards. This suggests the Alters are safe and living happy lives.

There are likely other variations of endings that we have missed. Combined, it’s probably best to work with Lucas and Lena and make sure you return to Earth with 5+ Rapidium Arks.