The game follows Luke Custer, a "Genome Cyborg" who can shape-shift into various beasts using DNA chips.

Altered Beast is a classic arcade-style action game originally developed by Sega and released in 1988. The title has seen numerous ports and re-releases across platforms. On PlayStation 2, the game is most commonly encountered as part of retro compilations or as an emulated title. This paper gives an overview of the game's history, legal and ethical considerations around PS2 ISOs, technical aspects of PS2 emulation and ISOs, preservation and archival perspectives, and recommended lawful ways to play.