Alter the Ending received some mixed or average reviews from critics, with some saying the album showed great maturity and others alluding to overproduction and its limitations.

[5] They also declared they would be touring in support of the album with New Found Glory, Meg & Dia and Never Shout Never,[6] before it was cancelled because of a last minute family situation.

[13][14] Carrabba has said that the acoustic set still features the full band, but with a minimalist approach similar to when the group was mostly a solo project in its early days.

Linder also lauded the band's deluxe edition acoustics; "Carrabba has always been a great unplugged performer, but there's just something about these songs that gives them greater emotional resonance when stripped of the traditional trappings of emo-pop.

He queried the band's choice to go back into "full-fledged rock band mode", following frontman Chris Carrabba's return to his acoustic six-string to release their previous effort The Shade of Poison Trees, he says, "Alter the Ending's biggest drawback is the big production value over pre-determined substance, which hinders the potential of the weight these songs carry.

Club reviewer Chris Martins awarded the album a C−, indicating he thought Dashboard had meandered down the wrong course with Butch Walker, as "he comically overproduces the damn thing.