ALTER EGO - 얼터 에‪고‬ 9+

I’d be lying if I didn’t say this crazy little game wasn’t life changing. I had been dealing with crippling depression for years and life has been really rough for me because I’ve been constantly trying to find myself and always told myself is “wrong.” Es is so incredibly relatable and all the results of these personality tests are so deep and helpful that it’s like having a therapist in your pocket! I also loved the deep symbolism for all the endings. I was in tears at the ending where Es goes crazy, not because I screwed her up, but because she was so dang relatable. I too have been super broken by complex rules of society that made me want to rebel like that and broke me to the point I felt like losing myself in rage and just in general. The ending where Es disappears had me in tears too. That made me realize I need to stop following my own Rex Ego and start listening to my heart or my sense of self will disappear too. The true ending is also an absolute gem. I’ve been emotionally lost for several long years, and playing that ending made me realize I’m still lost because I’ve been trying to get answers from others like Es did in the first two endings. Which like Es, is shaping how I think which isn’t really me and that’s why I’m so lost. I’m too afraid to be free, so I always seeked answers and approval from others like her. Thank you so much for this wonderful game! It has changed my life!!

As time has gone on, I’ve lost faith in the AppStore. This game revived my faith. I’ll admit, I was skeptical about all the five star reviews at first. Some games spam you with requests to review their game, and give you rewards for five star reviews. But I wanna make it clear this game does not do that. I was only asked to review the game one time, after witnessing the credits of the game. If you are intrigued or curious about what the game offers in the slightest, please give it a try. I won’t be directly spoiling anything, but I will be delving into how the game handles ads below. You’ve been warned!!

With most games, you have to sit through intrusive ads, predatory marketing, and all of the garbage that plagues the store at this point. Not in Alter Ego. The only way to watch ads is through clicking on blue butterflies that appear in the hallway or next to a certain character you speak to through the game. The game makes it very clear that the ads are optional, as saying no will not play an ad. Ads also do not pop up when switching screens, allowing you to stay immersed in the games atmosphere.

Speaking of atmosphere, this game took the limitations of the “clicker” genre and ran with it. I won’t spoil the story, as everyone deserves a blind play through. But the fact that there is a story at all, let alone an emotional one, shows the passion behind this game.

Alter Ego is a clicker-style game in which you tap whispers to collect EGO. EGO is used to buy new books to read, talk to Es for personality quizzes, and progress the game as a whole.

What I really liked about the game was how it incorporated the books you "read" in game in combination with your personality quiz choices into the whispers that you press. As you progress through the game, the whispers change to match the player's choices (and even indicate what ending you receive). The books featured in this game are also very thoughtful. They all discuss themes of self-discovery, and after reading them, I would recommend getting the app just for the awesome book recommendations! My favorite part of the game, however, was Es' dialogue. Even after completing the "true" ending of the game, I found myself still returning back everyday just to talk to her.

In short, this game left a great impression on my perception of myself and the world we're all currently living in. I started this game when I was younger but I never really finished it, so I'm glad I returned to complete the story. I would highly recommend downloading this game since the care that was put into its story, art, soundtrack, and game design really shows once you start playing it. Plus, with no pop-up ads, there's no reason not to get this app :)