The Alters Last Variable review: new expansion ditches the delightful stressors of the base game

The biggest stressor is the planet’s sun, which will burn everything it shines upon. Jan and his alters are constantly trying to outrun it with their big wheel-shaped space base lest they, ya know, burn to a crisp. That constant ticking clock brings stress, but also meaning — make the wrong decision, allocate the wrong resources, waste too much time and all the Jans will perish. Impending death-by-sunrise is missing in The Alters’ new expansion, making it a much hollower experience. That said, getting to know new Jans and investigating the expansion’s mystery still make it an enjoyable time.