Alternativa

44%
Game Brain Score Based on 133 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Alternativa Game Cover
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"Alternativa" is a single-player Science Fiction Point and Click game set in a dystopian 2045, where war and revolution have left a once-great world in ruins under an oppressive dictatorship. Experience an original sci-fi story through detailed environments, multiple characters, and interactive dialogues. With easy mouse controls, enjoy rendered video sequences, an original soundtrack, and two difficulty levels.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

44%
Audience ScoreBased on 133 reviews
story36 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling dystopian atmosphere and intriguing story elements that draw players in.
  • Visually, the game has nicely detailed prerendered backgrounds and a unique art style that enhances the experience.
  • Some players found enjoyment in the puzzles and appreciated the nostalgic point-and-click adventure gameplay.
  • The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including frequent crashes, slow transitions, and clunky controls that hinder the experience.
  • The voice acting and dialogue quality are inconsistent, often described as poor or awkward, detracting from the overall immersion.
  • Many players were disappointed by the abrupt and unsatisfying ending, which leaves numerous plot threads unresolved and feels rushed.
  • story105 mentions

    The game's story is set in a bleak, dystopian future, exploring themes of violence and oppression, but it suffers from a lack of coherence and an abrupt, unsatisfying ending. While the atmosphere and initial premise are intriguing, many players feel that the narrative is poorly executed, with unresolved plot threads and a rushed conclusion that detracts from the overall experience. Despite some engaging elements, the storytelling often feels incomplete and fails to deliver a compelling journey.

    • “Set in a bleak near-future version of Prague and Brazil, the game tells a dark story exploring themes of violence, corruption, and oppression in a world dominated by powerful corporations and an authoritarian government.”
    • “The story took me in from the beginning: the game creates an atmosphere of hopelessness but at the same time there is the spark of revolt, personified in our protagonist.”
    • “The game has a similar feel to other point-and-click adventures such as Still Life and the plot is intriguing enough to keep the player interested.”
    • “The dystopian setting and gritty narrative seem well-realized, even if the storytelling is marred by gaps, logic issues, and an abrupt, unresolved ending.”
    • “The story has potential but the game seems rushed and the ending is just terrible.”
    • “The story is rather incoherent, and there is no real closure or sense of satisfaction after the credits roll.”
  • graphics38 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the art style and pre-rendered backgrounds as visually appealing, while others criticize them as dated and lacking in technical polish. Many agree that the visuals are the game's strongest aspect, though they often fall short of modern standards, leading to a consensus that while the graphics are competent, they do not fully compensate for other gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the game's aesthetic is appreciated, but technical limitations and optimization issues detract from the experience.

    • “There are a few bugs but overall this game is a good fun, with a good story and amazing graphics.”
    • “From derelict slums to high-class modern facilities, the artwork is convincing and draws one in.”
    • “The best part of the game is undoubtedly its art style.”
    • “The scene transition is way too slow, the voice acting is cancer to my ears (except for the drunk guy at the bar) and the graphics look like shit.”
    • “Graphics leave a lot to be desired, the movement is slow, and the story is boring; if you mess something up and save over a previous game file, you have to restart which is super frustrating.”
    • “Not to mention that the graphics look like they are from 2002 because of the limitations from the engine the game uses.”
  • gameplay18 mentions

    The gameplay of "Alternativa" is characterized as a solid yet unremarkable point-and-click experience, marred by frustrating mechanics such as excessive backtracking and clumsy item interactions. While the narrative has its merits, many reviews highlight that the gameplay lacks depth and flow, often leading to a tedious experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment. Players may find it worthwhile if they enjoy the genre and can overlook its shortcomings, especially during sales.

    • “Gameplay is simple and has a user-friendly interface.”
    • “The story is an interesting one and gameplay is great.”
    • “Play it if you like point-and-click adventures and it's on sale, but expect some oddly frustrating mechanics, coupled with a lot of backtracking.”
    • “Reviews indicate Alternativa succeeds more as a thoughtful, if flawed, dystopian narrative than a standout gameplay experience.”
    • “The gameplay was so pointless that by the middle of the game I started to use a walkthrough just to play instead of wandering aimlessly everywhere just to find a piece of paper or a piece of grass.”
    • “Play it if you like point-and-click adventures and it's on sale, but expect some oddly frustrating mechanics, coupled with a lot of backtracking and a really abrupt ending that sets things up for a sequel which doesn't exist.”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its engaging and darkly immersive qualities, effectively conveying themes of hopelessness and rebellion. While some reviewers note technical flaws and narrative inconsistencies, the overall ambiance, complemented by decent graphics and music, makes it a worthwhile experience for fans of cerebral sci-fi and adventure games.

    • “There are a lot of good things about this game: the story, the atmosphere and many of the puzzles.”
    • “All in all, I'd recommend it for the atmosphere, decent graphics and decent voice acting.”
    • “Fans of cerebral sci-fi and classic adventure games may find it worth a playthrough for the atmosphere and themes, but flaws like technical issues, pacing problems, and an unsatisfying conclusion hamper its overall quality.”
    • “The story took me in from the beginning: the game creates an atmosphere of hopelessness but at the same time there is the spark of revolt, personified in our protagonist.”
    • “Half-decent atmosphere.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the atmospheric touches and good soundtrack, while others find it unremarkable and note that it fades into the background as the game progresses. Additionally, there are concerns about the inconsistency in voice acting quality.

    • “I enjoyed the music and the atmospheric touches.”
    • “Good soundtrack!”
    • “The voice acting quality is inconsistent and the music is unremarkable.”
    • “Non-essential elements vanish, background music disappears, and puzzles simplify.”
    • “I believe even the music is gone near the end.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting issues such as clunky performance, sluggishness, frequent freezes, and crashes. Many players experienced choppy gameplay and persistent glitches, leading to a frustrating gaming experience that detracts from its overall value.

    • “Clunky, sluggish, freezes, and crashes.”
    • “The game played a bit choppy for me, though that could have been due to the glitches. I had to keep rebooting the game.”
    • “It is not worth full price for me as it still has glitches, choppy flow, and problematic voice acting.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and boring, often requiring excessive backtracking through simple puzzles. While the story has potential, the repetitive nature of the gameplay detracts significantly from the overall enjoyment.

    • “It became tedious and boring.”
    • “I'd give it a D- at best, because while it has the makings of a decent story, it quickly becomes too tedious to play and enjoy.”
    • “The interface is straightforward point-and-click with simple puzzles that are logical but sometimes require tedious backtracking.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it effective in balancing the tragic elements, highlighted by clever references like Sam & Max. While certain dialogues and comments elicit laughs, others fall flat, leading to a somewhat inconsistent comedic experience.

    • “The ending is really bad, but it made me laugh.”
    • “I appreciated the bits of humor that were thrown in to offset the tragic elements, like the brilliant Sam & Max reference.”
    • “There are some dialogues and comments that are kind of funny.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviews indicate a general dissatisfaction with character development, highlighting a lack of depth and background stories for the characters, which results in them feeling static and unchanging throughout the game. Many players express a desire for more nuanced character arcs to enhance their engagement with the narrative.

    • “The character development in this game is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
    • “I appreciate how the game explores the backstories of its characters, making their journeys feel more meaningful.”
    • “The evolution of the characters throughout the game is impressive, showcasing their growth and struggles in a relatable way.”
    • “There is no character development whatsoever, with all of the characters being static.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack any meaningful growth throughout the game.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any interesting way.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is generally well-received, as enabling antialiasing significantly improves character visuals with only a minor impact on performance. However, players note that without it, characters appear poorly rendered due to low resolution.

    • “The optimization options are extensive, allowing players to fine-tune their experience based on their hardware capabilities.”
    • “I appreciate how the game runs smoothly even on lower-end systems, thanks to the thoughtful optimization choices made by the developers.”
    • “Looking at the other settings, without antialiasing, the characters are horribly aliased due to the low resolution. Fortunately, enabling it incurs only a very minor performance hit.”
    • “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, especially in crowded areas, which significantly detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “Despite having a powerful PC, I still encounter frequent stuttering and long loading times, indicating poor optimization.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players express a sense of emotional dissatisfaction with the game's ending, feeling as though it leaves them with an incomplete narrative experience, akin to only having read the beginning of a novel rather than a full story.

    • “The game ending made me feel like I had only gotten the first couple of chapters in a novel rather than a whole book.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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