Atomfall review: intriguing concept, rough execution
Atomfall brings nuclear apocalypse to the tranquil English countryside. This British Fallout alternative tells a gripping story, but with all the stumbling blocks in my way, I struggle to fully explore it.
At first I was fascinated, then I never wanted to look at it again, and in the end I couldn’t stop. Atomfall was certainly a rollercoaster. The concept of a British Fallout with a compact world, far removed from the same old American setting, grabbed me from the very first trailer. My short play session at last year’s Gamescom only increased the hype. But as I received my review code a week ago and installed the game, the enthusiasm quickly gave way to disillusionment. Atomfall is far from a perfect game, yet I just had to know what happened in this northern English apocalypse.
No idea who I am, just get me out of here!
The game begins with a short flashback. The British government completed a state-of-the-art nuclear power plant in Windscale in 1957. But disaster strikes shortly after its opening. The area is cordoned off and declared a restricted zone, the military deploys troops and tanks. Something funky’s going on, that’s for sure. Five years later, the zone is still sealed off from the outside world. Nobody knows exactly what happened – to the power plant or to the residents who were unable to escape in time.
Source: Rebellion
During all this confusion, I wake up in a bunker. I have no idea who I am or how I got here – so far, so (un)original. All I know is that I want to get out of the zone – and so my adventure begins. I stumble out of the bunker and face a blossoming British landscape. Unlike Fallout and the like, Atomfall is much more colourful. For once, the apocalypse hasn’t left behind a desolate wasteland. Nevertheless, the traces of a disaster are unmistakeable. Destroyed houses and burnt-out tanks are everywhere, and as in every apocalypse, factions have already formed and are roaming the area.
Atomfall was developed by Rebellion, the same studio that publishes the Sniper Elite games. As you’d expect, the levels are inevitably reminiscent of the sniping simulator. Instead of a gigantic open game environment, Atomfall consists of a handful of areas which, put together, would probably still be smaller than the world of Fallout 4.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
Amnesia, and other things I’d rather forget
If you play on the recommended Survivor difficulty level, you’ll only get vague clues as to where you should go. The game relies on a hint system, with notes and conversations giving you tips on where you could go next. And that brings me to my biggest point of criticism: the hint system is confusing and unclear. After just a short while, my log is littered with cryptic clues that aren’t even sorted in any meaningful way. I have no idea what’s actually important and what’s a secondary task.
This approach of not relentlessly railroading you is quite interesting, but it just isn’t implemented well at all. I feel like I’m filling out a tax return for a complete stranger, but the documents are just thrown at me blank and without comment.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
If I were the protagonist, I’d write down important clues instead of keeping every note, no matter how confusing. To actually understand what’s going on, I have to make my own notes. And that’s exactly why games invented quest logs. For the last third of the game, I set the difficulty – split into Survival, Combat and Discovery – to the easiest level. This way, I both learn which clues belong to the main quest and where I’m actually supposed to go on the map.
True, I like exploring worlds without constantly being directed somewhere. But I just feel too lost in Atomfall. For the first ten hours, I mostly wandered around aimlessly. Mind you, there’s nothing wrong with that, this deserted northern English countryside is packed with charm. Rebellion has squeezed some amazing things out of its Asura engine.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
The game runs smoothly while still looking stylish, even on the ROG Ally X. Overgrown tanks, picturesque villages and plenty of green landscapes are waiting to be discovered. Nevertheless, I don’t really feel like an explorer in the end. The areas are too small, and landmarks are too close together. I inevitably run into all the exciting things. But if, like me, you have a flair for post-apocalyptic worlds, you’ll still have a lot of fun uncovering the secrets of this region.
What’s going on here?
So, unravelling the world’s secrets was clearly my main motivation. The game begins with a chiming in one of those iconic red telephone booths. A robotic voice orders me to kill Oberon. The voice doesn’t tell me who or what it is, let alone where I can find it. Practically every time I walk past a phone booth, it rings and the voice comments on what’s happening.
Source: Rebellion
In addition to stray bandits, who prefer to let their weapons do the talking rather than drink a cuppa with me, I also meet the remaining locals. There’s Captain Grant Sims, who controls his authoritarian military regime from the small town of Wyndham. He wants me to interrogate Dr Diane Garrow. The nuclear physicist, who flew back into the zone with a military convoy, is said to be the root of all this evil. Then there’s a kind of herbal witch called Mother Iago. She’s one with nature, which has borne strange new fruit as a result of the catastrophe. She’s friends with the Druids, another faction that’s emerged in the Zone. The characters have great voices, all with thick English accents. The factions themselves, on the other hand, remain relatively bland.
Always follow your nose
Even though the hint system doesn’t really help, even I quickly realise that there are many ways out of Windscale. For most of them, I have to do favours for main characters like Captain Sims. However, since this rarely results in more than random scribbles on a map, I usually just follow my nose. I quickly stumble into the first bunker, which leads me into an underground research facility linked to the destroyed power station – if it really is a power station.
Source: Rebellion
The Interchange is the closest thing to a fast travel system. I have to find various keys, security cards and batteries in order to use it efficiently while uncovering the secret of the entire Interchange. Batteries specifically restore the power at various locations.
Later, I even get a tool to divert the current, either to deactivate automatic turrets or open doors. As none of this is marked on the map, I have to make a mental note where I can unlock a door or flip a switch in the increasingly labyrinthine levels. Nevertheless, I dive ever deeper into the world. Even if I only read a fraction of the countless notes, more and more pieces of the puzzle come together to solve the mystery behind the Zone.
Source: Rebellion
A bumpy ride
Unfortunately, the game puts a lot of stumbling blocks in my way. Atomfall wants to be a survival game too, so enemies are tough, ammunition and bandages are scarce and my inventory is small. There’s also a skill tree and a crafting system – both don’t really do much. The skill tree has very few useful properties, and I rarely crafted anything other than bandages.
Especially at the beginning, you primarily fight with melee weapons such as cricket bats and axes. Enemies aren’t the brightest and can also be eliminated silently. However, this usually only works for the first in a group. Close combat quickly turns into a chaotic scramble – not much fun. Aside from finishing off two opponents with a powerful axe blow, close combat feels unsatisfactory. Firearms are a bit better. But even against the ghoul-like infected it can get annoying, since they all rush in at once. The combat robots – about the size of a house – are an interesting change. I first have to overheat them by attacking, then I can remove their battery if I’m quick enough.
Source: Rebellion
The combat system remains functional until the end. I can’t thank Atomfall enough for the fact that I’m often left alone during my explorations. I really enjoy exploring the eerie remains of a disaster without being constantly attacked. Only towards the end does Atomfall actually increase the number of enemies. But since I’m also equipped with better weapons and more ammunition at that point, this fortunately isn’t too irritating.
My transportation options are a different story. Even if I hadn’t come directly from Assassin’s Creed Shadows, the rigid movement patterns would’ve annoyed me. My character can only just about clear small fences, and only ones that are intended for this purpose. Even knee-high rocks can turn into insurmountable obstacles. It appears my character is suffering from advanced osteoarthritis. Even the smallest incline is too challenging, and I have to stick to the path. But since the world has a relatively linear design and most of it’s located along clearly marked paths, this isn’t a major issue. It still annoys me sometimes, though.
Source: Rebellion
The fauna gets annoying too. Voracious fish lurk in various waters, aggressive bees inhabit trees, and bats as well as rats bother me in caves – they all want a piece of me. Fending off bats with a kick is funny the first time, but it’s not really efficient. Later on, creatures just get annoying, like most of the enemies in this game. Just let me enjoy the apocalypse in peace, is that too much to ask?
You shouldn’t expect too much immersion either. Inhabitants don’t give a damn if you run through their church with an axe drawn or pack up bandages and ammunition under their noses. However, if you’re discovered in an unauthorised area, the entire surrounding region is immediately alerted. The AI is just as stupid as in Sniper Elite. At least they react to whether I’m armed or not. If I aim a firearm, they keep their distance; if I hold an axe, they charge at me. But that’s it for intelligence, really.
Source: Philipp Rüegg
Atomfall was made available to me by Rebellion. I tested the PC version. The game is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
In a nutshell
Charming, but as bumpy as a country road
Against all odds, the credits rolled across my screen after around 15 hours. I certainly could’ve added ten extra hours if I’d completed more quests – but I didn’t want to. I’m more interested in the different endings this game obviously has in store. Mind you, I’d prefer watching them comfortably on YouTube. Nevertheless, I’m glad I played through Atomfall. Yes, despite the useless hints, levels that are often confusing and a merely functional combat system, the game kept me hooked until the end.
This post-apocalyptic restricted area in a northern English backwater is refreshingly unique. Instead of the usual brown-grey wasteland, we get flowering meadows and pretty stone houses. In the end, the mystery surrounding the catastrophe is nothing I haven’t seen before. Still, I really enjoyed the way it was told and presented.
Atomfall has obvious flaws, but I can’t deny its charm. If you fancy a slightly different and more colourful post-apocalypse, I can still recommend Atomfall. Maybe just don’t wait as long as I did to lower the difficulty.
Pro
- Fascinating world, invites exploration
- Gripping story
- Unique setting
Contra
- Useless hint system
- Idiotic enemies
- Confusing world – requires navigational aid
- Melee combat system imprecise and unsatisfying
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Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chBeing the game and gadget geek that I am, working at digitec and Galaxus makes me feel like a kid in a candy shop – but it does take its toll on my wallet. I enjoy tinkering with my PC in Tim Taylor fashion and talking about games on my podcast http://www.onemorelevel.ch. To satisfy my need for speed, I get on my full suspension mountain bike and set out to find some nice trails. My thirst for culture is quenched by deep conversations over a couple of cold ones at the mostly frustrating games of FC Winterthur.
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