Atomfall Review

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Upon learning about the concept of Atomfall, my interest was piqued right away. With its backdrop of a post-nuclear disaster in Northern England, enigmatic narrative, and survival-oriented gameplay, it appeared to offer an engaging experience packed with excitement.

The story unfolds inside a five-year isolation zone, cut off from global connections, following a catastrophic nuclear incident in October 1957 at Windscale, a clandestine Ministry of Defence project site. The outcome of those confined within the sealed-off area is still uncertain.

In a mysterious scenario, finding yourself awake in an underground shelter, unsure of your identity or how you came to be there, players take on the challenge of unraveling the enigma surrounding Windscale’s past. Encountering relentless soldiers, lethal robots, demented cultists, and infected beings along the way, the quest for truth is fraught with peril. However, the methods you employ to surmount these dangers are entirely within your control.

Please note that although every attempt has been made to keep the main plot of Atomfall untouched, there may be some minor spoilers ahead. Enjoy reading!

Customizable Freedom

Prior to diving into the universe of Atomfall, I was given the freedom to choose the level of challenge that suited me best. But this wasn’t a typical difficulty selection; rather, it provided an opportunity for me to tailor my adventure as desired. I had the liberty to fine-tune the gameplay experience by adjusting the difficulty levels of its fundamental components—Battle, Survival, and Discovery.

In a combat situation, I desired the challenge, yet I needed sufficient environmental assistance to navigate effectively. Enhanced directions and extra resources automatically provided boosted my gear. This aspect was beneficial as it offered versatile customization and flexibility to cater to diverse play styles.

Setting an Eerily Early Tone

From the moment I navigated the main menu to my first moves in the initial mission, the game’s haunting melody instantly grabbed my attention. It made me feel uncomfortable right off the bat, perfectly complementing the atmosphere I found myself immersed in. Yet, a recurring change in the music often disturbed its ominous symphony whenever adversaries spotted me or I engaged in conflict. Although I comprehend that this sudden alteration signifies an active threat, I found its timing peculiar. I’d slaughter numerous enemies, and the music would abruptly halt, only for the same tune to resume moments later when more foes emerged.

As I delved deeper into the enigmatic world of Atomfall, it quickly became clear that this game was brimming with unresolved mysteries from the get-go, adding to its already eerie and puzzling atmosphere. With each layer I peeled back, I’d stumble upon a series of mysterious red phone boxes strategically placed throughout the landscape. Each time one rang, I felt compelled to answer, revealing a secretive voice that left me with cryptic hints about various individuals and locations.

Characters significantly contribute to the enigma surrounding the game “Atomfall“. Throughout the quarantine zone, there’s a diverse cast of peculiar yet endearing characters that you can engage with. Whether to trust them or not is entirely your decision.

A Refreshing Yet Familiar Sight

The enchanting portrayal of a fictional Lake District in Cumbria is truly captivating. Amidst the evident traces of tragedy and recurring symbols of past turmoil, there exists an unusual tranquility that appeals to the senses. From the gloomy and desolate spaces like caves, castles, and campsites, to the vivid and lively landscapes of hills, valleys, and villages, it offers a diverse array of scenery. Certain outdoor elements such as trees, bushes, and vegetation appeared slightly blurred or pixelated. Nevertheless, these minor issues did not significantly impact the overall quality of the graphics on my PlayStation 5.

Occasionally, I found myself making parallels with Far Cry 5 and its sequel New Dawn as I scavenged for items in hidden underground shelters, only to return to a dystopian landscape beyond. The eerie sounds of cultists, whispers, and haunting radio tunes in the distance frequently reminded me of Hope County.

A Desperate Fight for Survival

In a straightforward and engaging manner, Atomfall’s combat is described as desperate, chaotic, and violent, and indeed it was. From loading my initial bullet to discharging my final round, every confrontation I found myself in felt like a genuine struggle for existence, and there wasn’t a second where I believed my wellbeing was secure. Despite accumulating quite a bit during my travels, ammunition would vanish instantly, serving as a constant reminder of its value and rarity. Yet, let me tell you, nothing compared to the sense of fulfillment I got from shooting an arrow from my bow directly into the head of an unaware adversary.

In simpler terms, I found combat repetitive following several fights, and it seemed like enemies reappeared quickly after I had cleared an area. A noticeable problem that occasionally occurred was my aim moving abruptly when shooting a weapon, which didn’t seem or feel right, affecting both my accuracy and the fun in gunfights.

The heart rate function amps up the intensity in combat, influencing how you strategize. Overexerting myself with intense activities too frequently or rapidly left me fatigued, affecting my aim and fighting prowess. At first, I found this aspect inconvenient as it seemed to limit my preferred pace while exploring. However, as I delved further into the game, I uncovered abilities that allowed for a slower heart rate increase and faster recovery, which did prove to be significant improvements.

In simpler terms, you can boost your abilities in Combat, Survival, and Fitness, with a total of nine upgrades for each section. Finding a firearms training guide immediately gave me access to gun-focused skills, which I found pretty neat.

In a genuine survival game, it’s essential to have crafting elements. Different findable items serve as materials for creating various items. For instance, when I found myself gravely injured without any health restores, I could combine the cloth and alcohol on hand to fashion a makeshift bandage.

While the skill tree and crafting options weren’t revolutionary, they significantly enhanced the significance of gathering loot and provided multiple avenues for me to upgrade my character’s skills.

An Overwhelming World

Atomfall deviates from typical RPG structure by abandoning traditional mission-based mechanics. Instead, players explore a network of interconnected stories as they follow leads, rather than pursuing specific missions or side quests. Progression isn’t tied to completing missions to unlock the next, but rather each lead is followed to its end, revealing new opportunities and routes.

Although I can appreciate Rebellion’s reasoning behind their approach, personally, it felt too complex and confusing at times, making the game world difficult to explore effectively. Unbeknownst to me, my investigation journal quickly became cluttered with numerous potential leads to follow, among them nine main storylines categorized as such. Frankly, I was unsure which path to embark on first.

In Atomfall, you can uncover leads by chatting with characters or discovering letters and objects while exploring. However, I found myself avoiding these interactions because I had too many tasks on hand. Consequently, this diminished my enjoyment, and I wish it adhered more to the traditional mission structure.

In the realm of Atomfall, you’ll find four sandbox-style maps that are connected. It offers an “open zone” experience rather than one large open world, but the journey between these areas can feel somewhat monotonous due to a system where you have to press and hold a button at an entrance before transitioning via a short loading screen. This results in many back-and-forth scenarios, much like the combat, which eventually becomes repetitive and feels more like a tedious task.

A Mixed Atomic Bag

On some level, delving into the world of Atomfall, with its troubled yet captivating nature, was enjoyable, albeit leaving me with a sense that something essential was absent – a unique quality that would set it apart from other games. Frankly, I’m uncertain if it will continue to resonate in the future. However, should it manage to surprise and outshine my current expectations, I would be thrilled, for there appears to be significant potential hidden within. Yet, at this moment, it seems to lack the impact necessary to leave a lasting mark.

In simpler terms, although Atomfall successfully delivered an engaging storyline, appealing setting, and entertaining characters, the gameplay didn’t quite keep me hooked. To be honest, after finishing it, I don’t feel the strong urge to return. Despite its well-crafted elements, the game lacked enough diversity and innovation to sustain my interest throughout.

To put it simply, the graphics of Atomfall on my standard PlayStation 5 were quite impressive. There weren’t any significant lags or dropped frames that I noticed, and overall, the gaming experience was smooth and finely tuned.

Although Atomfall didn’t quite grab me, there’s no denying that Rebellion put a tremendous amount of care into its creation – a detail that deserves recognition. Despite my overall feelings about it, it’s clear that this project was infused with an abundance of time, affection, and dedication, which can sometimes be hard to find in the gaming world. In light of their efforts, I tip my hat to the developers for a job well done.

I went into Atomfall with an itch, but unfortunately, it couldn’t provide the scratch.

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2025-03-21 17:43