Review: Atomfall - A Post-Apocalyptic World with a British Accent

Atomfall is an action survival game developed by Rebellion, the studio behind huge franchises such as Sniper Elite and Zombie Army. The game's narrative will transport players to an England devastated by a fictional nuclear disaster based on the 1957 Windscale incident, a real event that nearly resulted in a radioactive catastrophe.

Mixing the dark atmosphere of Fallout, the open-world complexity of Elden Ring and British humor, the game stands out as a survival experience. In this review, I’ll discuss the details of this game that may surprise you.

The story takes place after a major nuclear accident that leaves the Lake District isolated by a quarantine wall. The protagonist is a survivor who suffers from amnesia and wakes up in an underground bunker five years after the disaster, encountering a world changed by radiation, with mutations and conflicts between factions.

The game's premise will remind you of Fallout, but in a different world: instead of vault boys, we’ll find Tea Bunkers, which are shelters decorated with porcelain cups (for the famous five o'clock tea) and paintings of Queen Elizabeth II.

Factions and Conflicts

The game features major and minor factions:

Major Factions

- The Protocol faction represents the first responders to the nuclear disaster. It’s supported by the government and responsible for maintaining security after the Windscale disaster. It’s an authoritarian organization that wants to control those living in the quarantine zone. Of all the factions in Atomfall, Protocol is the most inspired by the Cold War era. You can find it in Wyndham Village.

- BARD (British Atomic Research Division), is the second-largest faction. They’re the most influential group in the quarantine zone, and were responsible for managing Windscale. After the disaster, BARD started to be represented through machines that you’ll have to fight.

These robots are some of the most difficult enemies in the game. To defeat them, you’ll need to destroy their sensors, which are located in a glass dome on their heads.

Minor Factions:

- Druids: This faction is inspired by Great Britain’s historical folklore, bringing mysticism and mystery to the game. To establish a friendly relationship with them, you need to meet and talk to Mother Jago.

- Bandits: Among the factions of Atomfall, there are also bandits. They resemble outlaws and are spread throughout the quarantine zone. Of all the groups, bandits are the ones who contribute the most to the overall chaos of the game.

- Cultists: They have less presence in the quarantine zone. However, they have an extra difficulty level.

The main plotline investigates the origin of the nuclear accident, but we also have sidequests that are key to understanding the game's narrative. In one such quest, we’ll have to investigate the murder of a priest, deciphering clues such as torn manuscripts and blood stains that’ll lead us to a mutant lair.

In another, we have to sabotage a church ritual in a wheat field, and here comes an interesting part: depending on our choices, we’ll free hostages or blow up the entire place. These details bring the story to life and make us understand the entire world we’re living in inside the game.

Choices and Limitations

The player's choices also greatly impact the world in extremely unpredictable ways. For example, we can help steal supplies that’ll provide us with access to an underground market, but then we’ll no longer be able to make alliances with the military. Something that I really missed is a non-lethal option or just peaceful interactions, such as surrendering enemies, for example, since the game limits us to always eliminating them.

In a secondary quest, I tried to negotiate with a leader of one of the gangs, I wanted to know how far the game would give me options and if there’d be a dialogue or way out other than combat, but I found out that, in the end, the game will always lead us in that direction and I ended up having to eliminate everyone who was around!

Something I noticed in Atomfall is the constant presence of British culture. We find references ranging from Dr. Who telephone booths, which teleport us randomly, to cooking with Cornish Pasties (baked puff pastries stuffed with meat and vegetables, typical of Cornwall), which restore health, while Yorkshire Pudding (a type of small bread, typical of Great Britain), temporarily increases resistance. These details give the game a certain charm that we don't see in other games.

Atomfall has an excellent and intuitive crafting system. Survival will depend on resource management. The game includes several materials for crafting:

- Cloth – Used to craft bandages and Molotov cocktails, found in buildings and ruins.

- Gunpowder – Needed to craft grenades and explosives, commonly found in workshops and bunkers.

- Purple herbs – Grow in the Slatten Dale area and are used to craft potions which increase resistance to radiation, fire and other hazards.

I recommend looking for a metal detector as soon as possible, it’ll help you locate the resources.

Combat: The Calculated Chaos of Atomfall

Something I struggled to grasp control of was the combat. Our protagonist is vulnerable and this shows during the gameplay.

Weapons have short durability, a rusty axe, for example, can break after 10 hits, while a rifle can fail frequently if it’s not always oiled, so keep in mind that this is a world where there are no new technologies. At first it may seem strange and this can even get us to confuse it for bad gameplay, but once you understand the logic behind it, everything becomes simpler and the game flows better.

Here are some tips I learned:

- Melee weapons, such as knives, are fast but weak; hammers cause heavy damage but consume stamina. Pay attention to which enemies are sensitive to which weapons before using them, once you get the hang of it they’ll be very useful.

- Firearms are very valuable. The shotgun is great for eliminating enemies at short range and for when they come at you, as it hits several at once. But be careful, it reloads slowly, so shoot and run.

- The stealth system is based on light and sound. Always look for shadows and as soon as possible get felt shoes (can be crafted), they greatly reduce noise. Another great friend is the bow and arrow, it makes no sounds and deals critical damage to enemies.

Enemies: Variety and Challenge

I think one of the parts I liked the most are the enemies. They range from crazy cultists, attacking us with scythes and torches, to grotesque mutants, like the Goliaths, giant creatures with arms that turn into tentacles.

- The AI ​​can be a bit inconsistent, but it can be improved with a future fix. While some enemies flank our character, others get stuck in simple obstacles. In one quest, several soldiers got stuck and formed a crowd on a staircase, so I didn't think twice and eliminated them all with the shotgun and a grenade.

On the map, you need to explore the smallest details. I think a minimap would maybe be more effective and wouldn’t slow down the game so much. Many times I had to pause the game and go to the map to know where I was, since we can easily get lost.

But don't worry, I've written down some tips that’ll help you:

- In camps, we'll find paper maps with latitude/longitude coordinates, which must be crossed with a sundial. This was another part that really puzzled me: we have to understand a bit of navigation logic. It's not complicated, but I honestly didn't like it.

- Pay attention to smoke coming out of chimneys, shouts in the distance, or the sound of a river. They can lead to secret places.

The skill system is divided into four trees:

- Ranged Combat: Improves accuracy, reload, and critical damage.

- Melee: Increases attack speed and damage reduction.

- Survival: Allows you to craft advanced items, such as explosive traps.

- Conditioning: Increases stamina, health, and radiation resistance.

Training Stimulants are equivalent to skill points, but they’re rare and hard to find. Look for them in places like military crates or as rewards for quests. To maximize a skill tree, you need to focus on a specific one, meaning you won't be able to complete everything in just one playthrough.

Reputation and Trade

Your reputation with the factions affects prices, dialogues and access to other areas. For example, a neutral reputation with a faction can allow you to buy basic supplies, while a high one unlocks exclusive items. Don't expect to level up the best stuff in one single playthrough, as already mentioned, it's all based on the choices we make.

Replay Factor and Post-Launch Content

I only completed one ending to the game, but there are six, determined by alliances and choices during the campaign. They are divided into Good, Neutral and Bad Endings:

Pros

Absence of non-lethal dialogue mechanics.

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Conclusion: Is it worth entering the Quarantine Zone?

I found Atomfall to be a good game. Even though the combat may have some irregularities and the AI ​​is inconsistent, they’re compensated by an open, detailed world, a great narrative and many details to admire. It’s a game for those who like exploration and stories, however, it may frustrate players who prefer action. But, in the end, the game gets much more right than wrong.

For fans of survival RPGs, it’s a great experience. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a game that deserves your attention, and, for those who venture beyond the wall, you’ll find one of the most original narratives in the generation.

Atomfall is available for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, Steam, and Epic Games Store.