Sam DeLongI have heard comparisons between Atomfall, Rebellion’s new post-apocalyptic shooter, and Fallout, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Atomfall has an identity all its own. It borrows some elements from other games in the genre, but its unique setting and tone set it apart.
Visually, Atomfall Is A Greener Apocalypse
Unlike other post-nuclear war epics, Atomfall trades the usual grays and browns for a lush and green environment to explore. The hills and lakes around you give a clever and stark contrast to the stone bunkers and sealed vaults (yes, there are vaults) and add some variety to your surroundings. In the distance, you can also see signs of the nuclear blast ravaging the land, creating a cool portal-in-sky effect as traces of blueish-purple hues reach the horizon.
Atomfall’s graphics are rendered using its proprietary graphics engine, Asura, giving it a similar aesthetic to its Sniper Elite franchise. Unlike the slo-mo-centric series, Atomfall is mostly in first-person. Many early-game weapons have a layer of rust caked on the metal. The brighter elements of the color palette, like its large green fields and those iconic red telephone boxes, really pop against the green, sometimes bloody grass fields. You will also find pubs, churches, and other buildings keeping with the 1950s.
Level Design And The Exploration: Country Roads
The level design in Atomfall encourages the player to take a broad look at the fields ahead. In most cases, the path straight will likely leave you overwhelmed and full of bullet holes. Very early on, I was underpowered when I came across a bandit camp. I, of course, was murdered very quickly. Eventually, I decided to go under the camp by finding a nearby sewer tunnel. Atomfall is not a full-on open world but a series of connected medium-sized maps. Its freedom-in-a-bubble approach makes each area feel different but still connected. In between combat zones, you will also find various villages. Conversation and exploration will unlock new “leads” that will give you a hint about sub-objectives during a quest.
A Familiar Yet Intriguing Story
Traversing the dark sewer also presented me with the first NPCs that stand out in Atomfall. Navigating different dialogue trees allows you to learn new leads in conversations with these folks. You can press them for more information, which leads to better trading items and info on side missions and story beats. New mission information will also be updated during these conversations, including new locations being unlocked on your map.
Atomfall is a story set in Windshire, England, in the 1950s. An accidental nuclear disaster has ravaged the land, bringing the usual bandits, raiders, and mutated citizens. While the game takes place in a fictionalized quarantine zone, It does a great job of re-creating the beautiful English countryside of the time. Burned-out cars and tanks can be seen hidden in the broken-down grass fields.
Another cornerstone of Atomfall is the appearance of those iconic red phone booths. The telephone boxes will ring as you walk close to them, often giving clues about the larger story. There is an eerie horror-like vibe to certain story elements that reminded me of BioShock in all the best ways. One of the best examples of this is in Atomfall’s vault-like bunkers. After reaching your first settlement, seeking out bunkers becomes a major mechanic in the game. The bunkers are naturally dark, encouraging you to use your flashlight and proceed stealthily. The cold stone surroundings echo ambient noises to add a touch of atmospheric storytelling.
Another standout element of Atomfall is its British influence. There is a charm about the way the slang and mannerisms of Atomfall’s denizens, from your helpful NPCs to the bandits who hunt you, speak, and it makes the dialogue feel fresh. The story is also dripping with some cheeky UK sci-fi references, including Doctor Who and My favorite, The Wicker Man. This results in some of the most polite post-apocalyptic bandits you’ll likely encounter. You’ll also come across pubs, sitting stones, and landmarks dripping with UK culture, much like you would in an Assassin’s Creed game.
Chunky Shotguns: Combat And Stealth
Combat in Atomfall is easily the best part of the game, but it also exposes some pretty jarring issues with the whole package. The early part of your adventure begins with you awakening in a post-bomb shelter five years after the incident. It is also the first glimpse that you can melee takedown any NPC. After being awakened by a scientist, I killed him, sure that I wouldn’t be returning to the starting area. The early hours of Atomfall will naturally start you somewhat under-powered and low on ammo, encouraging you to engage in some essential stealth. The stealth and AI in the game are slightly broken, and you can often use them to your advantage.
You can hide in the grass, and after taking out a guard, run back to the grass spot to hide again. Enemies will see you when they shouldn’t, often running right to where you are. Other times, they won’t notice you killing an enemy ten feet away. It is widely inconsistent. When you are ready to stand and fight, gunplay is crunchy, and the guns have a real-world kick to them. Enemies often wear helmets, and headshots will send the pieces of armor flying off. The headshots have an old-school glorious pop, shown in gore-tastic detail. Even so, the gunplay flows like it would in a first-person shooter. You are often vastly outnumbered by large groups of enemies, giving combat a heightened sense of tension. This places a greater emphasis on giving you a wide birth in encounters. Using verticality and tactical positioning is key. And the only way to avoid getting gunned down.
Rebellion’s latest title has some minor issues. Firstly, there is no fast travel in the early hours, which might be frustrating for some who are used to more modern open-world games. However, this is a minor nitpick as its mini-areas are small. The advantage of the map is that it encourages exploration, which is the quickest way to find ammo. Atomfall is a perfect fit for those looking for a post-apocalyptic fix that offers something with a bit of British flair. Atomfall’s London gives it an identity that makes it more than a Fallout clone. The game’s open scope encourages a more thoughtful approach to its tense combat and methodical story.
Final Verdict
Atomfall, at first glance, might be regarded as a Fallout clone, but the truth is it has a clear identity that makes it stand out from the pack of imitators. Its green and lush surroundings give it a unique flair, even if its story is still a bit by the numbers. The Rebellion title also has wide open maps encouraging verticality and experimentation, which you’ll need to survive its brutal but satisfying combat.
