Atomfall may not be a masterpiece, but it holds a special place in my heart. You can now enjoy this British survival adventure exactly as I wasn’t able to when it first released.
Nuclear radiation plunges a retrofuturistic world into chaos. Years later, we explore a dangerous land full of monsters, robots, and hostile factions, and must ally ourselves with one of them. That sounds just like Fallout, doesn’t it? But actually, I’m talking aboutAtomfall, the latest game from Sniper Elite developer Rebellion. The Steam Sale is now the perfect opportunity to catch up on this fascinating survival shooter! As a huge Fallout fan, let me explain why I absolutely want to recommend this game to you.
A Stylish Mini-Apocalypse
Atomfall’s greatest strength is undoubtedly its world. It blends retrofuturistic robots with small-town English charm and a dark, mysterious atmosphere. I’m exploring an exclusion zone around the Windscale nuclear power plant, set against the backdrop of the real-life 1957 nuclear accident in which a fire broke out in the nuclear reactor. In this regard, Atomfall is also reminiscent of Stalker, as it adds to the historical events the emergence of strange monsters, secret experiments in underground laboratories, and futuristic technology. Wonderful!
Atomfall combines this already fascinating setting and charming little world with a kind of story sandbox. I have only one general goal: to escape the Zone. The game gives me complete freedom to decide how I’ll do that and where I’ll go next. There are no quest markers, so I have to talk to people, explore the world, and read notes I find on my own to make progress. This way, I find my own path and decide which faction to join and how the game ends.
If you just want to be carried along by a pre-written story with flashy cutscenes, this isn’t the game for you. Personally, though, I have a blast uncovering the world’s secrets on my own—this is where *Atomfall* clearly reminds me of *Fallout* again. The story itself isn’t extraordinary, but the mysteries keep me hooked until the very end.
If all this sounds good to you, I also need to brieflywarn you about the weaknesses of Atomfall. These include the frustrating stealth system: Every time I tried to move quietly, I was spotted. There are also hardly any practical stealth aids or ways to distract enemies. On top of that, the menu navigation is confusing, the inventory fills up very quickly, and the skills are mostly boring buffs.
Still, I had a lot of fun with the world, the combat, and the secrets of Atomfall. During theSteam Sale for 20 eurosI can therefore highly recommend this game. However, you should be aware that, depending on your playstyle, each playthrough will only take 10 to 20 hours.
A quick tip:If you’re absolutely sure, I also recommend picking up the DLCs right away. Unfortunately, they’re integrated in a rather clunky way and can only be played before the main story ends. Since they unlock additional endings for the main game, it’s worth having them from the very beginning. Otherwise, you’ll have to return to an earlier save point later or start over from scratch.
If you’ve already played *Atomfall* yourself, feel free to share in the comments why you liked the game—or why it wasn’t your cup of tea. If, on the other hand, you want to learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of this survival shooter, check out my review. And if Atomfall isn’t your thing after all, you’ll also find a few game recommendations for Fallout fans in the box above. Enjoy reading!
