Up and Atom?
A single player, survival-action game, Atomfall blends post-war Britain with Cold War paranoia, folk horror, and elements of classic British sci-fi like Day of the Triffids, Doctor Who and The Prisoner, to create an immersive and thrilling gameplay experience. Set in the rolling British countryside with idyllic pubs, quaint villages, and red phone boxes it soon becomes clear that things are far from normal. Created by Rebellion, the makers of the much-loved Sniper Elite and Zombie Army franchises, Atomfall is inspired by a real-world nuclear disaster that occurred in northern England in 1957. The game follows a fictional storyline where you find yourself in the quarantine zone five years after the event. Everything has changed in that time, and you find yourself in a very different Britain, on the wrong side of the quarantine wall. The area is run by the military and beset with factions, in-fighting, and a growing sense of fear. It’s up you to unravel the mystery of what happened. Explore the countryside, villages, and settlements and meet odd people, wicked cults, rogue government agencies and others along the way.
Rebellion is more famous for their Sniper Elite and Zombie Army series of games, so I was surprised to see them divert to an FPS survival-action game that on paper sounds like Fallout England. It does have that feel about it, but it is very much its own game and in a more streamlined experience. Quests are more deconstructed, and the scope of the game is a lot smaller, but it works, and it does it well.
I enjoyed the story and the English setting, being English myself. I did laugh at the accents and stereotypes, but it was nice to see this instead of a typical American setting that you normally get in these types of games.
The game handles well with decent controls and combat is what you would expect, but without the VATS of Fallout. It has all the typical elements you would expect like crafting and looting and while none of it is anything we haven’t seen before, Atomfall does it well.
The visuals are impressive and are PS5 Pro enhanced, making it look and run better overall. The framerate is solid, the voice-acting is amusing and impressive at the same time, while the soundtrack has a very British vibe to it. Rebellion have done a good job here.
The Verdict
Atomfall is an impressive game that tries not to rely too heavily on Fallout’s design and crafts a path of its own. I really hope it does well, and that Rebellion greenlights a sequel or a spiritual successor for this new series.