This is yet another Commodore 64 classic that failed to attract a following among PC crowd. An immensely detailed RPG (with various weather effects!) on an epic scale, Alternate Reality, like Might and Magic, integrate science and fantasy in its plot and gameplay.
A very nice-looking 3D RPG with almost an unlimited number of realistic choices (i.e. you can get a job, practice skills, etc.). I just wish I can control more than one character. Definitely one of the most replayable RPGs ever made, and a must-have for every RPG veteran. Thumbs up!
Note: Alternate Reality was designed and coded by Phillip Price, who has given approval for redistribution of this game. This was not a C64 game per se, but was coded directly for the Atari 800 series computers, then ported to other platforms such as C64 and IBM and Atari ST. Phillip used Atari's Display List Interrupt capability extensively, getting an unheard-of 256 colors onscreen in high-res mode. This color feature was undoubtably lost on the C64 and IBM. The best news to fans is that he's working hard on a remake of this classic :) [thanks to Scott for the info]
Review By HOTUD
English 
Comments and reviews
I've never seen a gem or jewel drop and haven't found a Treasure Finding potion in the browser version here. Those were my favorite loot in the Atari version I played years ago. That version didn't let you get a job either though, and that kind of comes in handy here.
i love this game because triclyde is red
There's a abandoned remake called Alternate Reality X at crpdev dot com in the downloads section. Maybe someone will pick it up and finish it...
How do I delete characters from the save disk?
Why does it give me three files that are all zips two are the same size one is slightly smaller
I played The City for years on the 64, but never beat it. I don't know if it is even possible to beat the game without all the other scenarios. All I ever was able to purchase were The City and The Dungeon. But by the time I purchased the Dungeon, The City disks were worn out from constantly having to put one disk in the drive, then pull it out and replace it with the other, again and again. I have tried playing the DOS version here, but it is not the same game as the 64 was. And I do not mean just the graphics, which were better on the 64, but the way the game plays is also different. I agree with DAVE above, I had made maps, and also wish they would remake this game. However, if they remake it will it have the real life"feal" it did in the 64 version? Or will it just be a game? It is no wonder, as the review above states, this game never made it big on the PC.
Played both the city and dungeon and both where exceptional games would love a version on iOS
I review Alternate Reality, The City here: http://youtu.be/fMSWKLkQNPw
There is a remake, it's called Alternate Reality: X.
Don't let that stop you from finding and playing the Atari 800 version of this and The Dungeon, though. They're the best original versions by far.
The Commodore-64 version for download here may not work. The images for Disk2-Side1 and Disk2-Side2 both have a note on them that they have errors when you inspect them.
Used CCS64. I could create character, generate random stats, then upon entering the city (when you insert Disk2-Side1) the game goes crazy. It may still be running, but the time is flying by or something. Menu keeps changing, there's no time to move, etc....
loved this game on the Atari 800 - how can I play it on windows 10? I tried each version and so far no go
Went thru some doors about 10 minutes into the game and I got an error... "You are at the Western Gate."
"WILDER.EXE FILE NOT FOUND!"
"Hit ESC key to cancel."
"Hit any other key to retry."
Searching on startpage gave me zero results.. I got a screenshot but no method to post it... Haven't tried esc yet but any other key don't fix it...
I loved this game, I even drew a full size map on A3 graph paper for the entire city.
I wish someone would revamp it into a modern version using a FPS engine along with the expansions (the Wilderness and the Arena), it was an awesome game.
Alternate Reality: The Dungeon was definitely better. I did love playing AR: The City though. I went through COUNTLESS characters.
I played AR: The Dungeon. From what I remember about this one is that once you die, your character is deleted, lol. In Dungeon, you just lose a level. Thess games become insanely
difficult real quick.
@ Matthew - The original version of this, on the Atari 800xl, came out in 1985. I'm not 100% sure which was first, but I saw this first. The Atari 800xl version is without a doubt the best version of it, too, but if I was going for Alternate Reality, I would get AR:The Dungeon, there's MUCH MUCH more to do.
Negative, the original Bard's Tale was 3 years earlier in 85.
Absolutely loved this game.. Always wished they'd made all the expansions they had planned...
Best (and probably only) 3-D game of its time!
No comment nor review for this game at the moment.