Alter Ego Complex

About

Alter Ego Complex is a single player casual simulation game. It was developed by Caramel Column Inc. and was released on September 27, 2020. It received very positive reviews from players.

I had a dream... A dream of another place, together with someone special...

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Single-Player

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92%

Audience ScoreBased on 573 reviews

story47 positive mentions

gameplay6 negative mentions

Beautiful and emotional storytelling that deepens the character of Es, providing insight into her thoughts, dreams, and loneliness.
Stunning art style and captivating music that create an immersive atmosphere consistent with the original Alter Ego game.
Enjoyable mini-games and visual novel format appeal especially to fans of the first game and those emotionally attached to Es.

The game is notably short, often completed within 30 minutes to an hour, which many feel does not justify the price.
Gameplay can feel repetitive and tedious, with slow text scrolling and frustrating tap-style mini-games that detract from the experience.
Minimal interactivity and linear storytelling reduce replay value and leave some players feeling the content is more of a fan service or side story than a full game.

story
119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
The story is widely praised for its emotional depth, beautifully expanding on the character es and serving as a meaningful continuation or side story to Alter Ego. While many appreciate its well-crafted narrative and immersive perspective, common critiques include its short length and feeling more like an extension or supplement rather than a full standalone story. Overall, fans of the original game find it a compelling and heartfelt addition, though some wish for a longer, more developed plot.
- “Beautifully written - wonderful story from the viewpoint of es.”
- “A brilliant continuation to Alter Ego, and a somber story that makes me feel all the more guilty for not coming back for a while.”
- “Another stellar story, adding on to es' character in a brilliant fashion, can't wait for more from these devs, whatever it may be.”
- “It is also extremely short for the pricing and didn't feel particularly satisfying in either gameplay or expanding original story.”
- “While its predecessor tread more meditative, the incredibly short and mundane play with minimal story revealed kept dragging my mind back to the $7 price tag, even as I was trying to enjoy seeing es again.”
- “There wasn't a story here, and I'm sad it didn't build upon the original story of Alter Ego.”
music
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
32%
4%
The music is consistently praised for being beautiful, soothing, and perfectly fitting the game's atmosphere, matching the high quality of the art and enhancing the emotional and narrative experience. While some note the soundtrack maintains the haunting and tranquil vibe of the original, others mention the repetition and shorter length. Overall, the soundtrack is a standout feature that deeply complements the game's artistic and storytelling elements.
- “The perfect soundtrack to fit the atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is as lovely and haunting as ever and after the golden ending of the original it only makes sense to focus on es' as she is every bit as iconic and influential to our perspective.”
- “This whole series has been wonderful, from the music to the overall progression of this game is amazing.”
- “Simple yet tranquil art style, soothing yet familiar soundtrack, but short storyline with a 2$ (in my country) price tag.”
emotional
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
96%
4%
The emotional aspect of the game deeply resonates with players, eliciting strong feelings of attachment, heartbreak, and warmth, often bringing them to tears. Many appreciate the heartfelt storytelling and the intimate exploration of the character es, despite some noting the game's short length and simpler gameplay. Overall, it provides a touching, memorable experience that fosters genuine emotional connection.
- “I really love ES and missed her so much too (I cried countless times while playing it).”
- “Seeing ES' side of the story is enlightening and heartwarming, all while being cold and lonesome.”
- “This was an amazing experience and an emotional ride; sadly it's so short yet feels long, I completely love it.”
- “Played the first and was in love, this one was so different and disappointing... no control over the story, very simple controls and boring story... the first was definitely an amazing artwork, hope you do better in the next one.”
gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The gameplay is generally perceived as simplistic, repetitive, and slow-paced, with some finding mini-games clunky and detracting from the experience. While it shows some improvement over its predecessor's mechanics, many feel it remains too minimal and short to be engaging or satisfying on its own. However, the gameplay's contemplative and story-focused nature may appeal to players invested in the narrative and characters.
- “This game is meant to be played and enjoyed by those who not only finished the prior game (Alter Ego) but ache to know more about its central character. When viewed like this, one can truly enjoy its more laid-back, contemplative gameplay which centers around learning and understanding the feelings of the main character. Though it's short, it's an experience that has the ability to move the player deeply.”
- “The gameplay at first was relatively slow; however, it became rewarding near the end.”
- “Beautiful story with some actual gameplay.”
- “The reading scenes take a long time and when there is gameplay, they're frustrating tap-style games (think Flappy Bird).”
- “Truthfully, I think that Complex may have been more impactful as a visual novel without mini games or clicking mechanics, as the mini games feel very clunky and the pacing is very slow... I didn't feel that this was a problem in the original.”
- “Unlike its predecessor, it seems the team hasn't found a way to turn this style of bare bones, repetitive gameplay into something engaging.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
29%
21%
The game features a simple yet soothing art style with beautiful, recognizable artwork consistent with the main series, praised for its visual appeal and charming character designs. While the graphics and music are often described as lovely and dreamy, some users felt the experience was too short and lacked deeper engagement. Overall, the visuals are a strong highlight, though the brief content may leave some wanting more.
- “The artwork in this is amazing!”
- “Simple yet tranquil art style, soothing yet familiar soundtrack.”
- “Relatable stories and the artstyle is so dreamy as well.”
- “Unfortunately this was a bit disappointing - I liked a lot of the visuals, but it was very short and didn't offer what I hoped it would.”
- “The art style varies a bit from the previous game, but it can undoubtedly be recognized as part of Alter Ego.”
- “Simple yet tranquil art style, soothing yet familiar soundtrack, but short storyline with a low price tag.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Reviews of character development are mixed, with some praising the continued growth and design of characters, while others feel it lacks the introspective depth of the original and that the ending may regress in character progress. Overall, character design and storytelling remain strong highlights.
- “Love the further character development from ES.”
- “What a story, all the books mentioned are incredibly interesting, the sound, the character design, the drawing style... incredible.”
- “What a great way to tie in the beginning of the story with the rest, amazing soundtrack and character design as always, and the mini games were a lot of fun.”
- “It does not have the same introspective charm of the original, and one may argue that the ending is rather regressive in terms of character development.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered tedious and repetitive, with some minigames contributing to the overall sense of monotony compared to the original.
- “My problem is that the game is really, really tedious.”
- “Minigames can be tedious.”
- “Not as good as the original, and is quite tedious.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel the $2 price tag is slightly high but understandable to support the creators, though some suggest lowering the price or adding ads like previous installments to improve affordability. Overall, fans appreciate the team but see room for more balanced monetization.
- “The $2 price tag feels a bit steep for what is offered; lowering it to $1.30 or making the game free with ads, similar to Alter Ego, would be a more reasonable approach.”
- “I understand the need for the creators to earn money, but incorporating ads might have been a better alternative to the current pricing model.”
- “While I'm still a fan of the team and want to see more from them, they should have considered integrating ads in this installment.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its perfect soundtrack, character design, and immersive sound, creating a captivating and artistically rich experience. However, some players found the pacing slow, which impacted their overall enjoyment despite the strong atmospheric elements.
- “The perfect soundtrack to fit the atmosphere.”
- “The character designs, the atmosphere of the game, the sounds, everything is very much to my taste. I enjoyed playing the game and look forward to more new releases from this developer. Everyone did a fantastic job bringing this game to life and I highly recommend everyone give it a try.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers limited replayability due to its short duration of around two hours and features a bleak ending that may reduce incentive to replay.
- “There is not much value in replayability (easily finished in 2 hours) and the ending is rather bleak.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor is lighthearted and charming, particularly centered around the theme of falling in love with the character. It adds a playful and enjoyable tone to the experience.

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2h Median play time

2h Average play time

1-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Alter Ego Complex is a casual simulation game.

Alter Ego Complex is available on Phone, iPad, iPhone, Tablet and others.

On average players spend around 2 hours playing Alter Ego Complex.

Alter Ego Complex was released on September 27, 2020.

Alter Ego Complex was developed by Caramel Column Inc..

Alter Ego Complex has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked Alter Ego Complex for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Alter Ego Complex is a single player game.

Similar games include Aznana, Father and Son, I.B. ~The Future, Destined by, Bear's Restaurant, Florence and others.

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