Atomfall review: What you thinking?.. Pub?

Atomfall has been one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played this year, and while it has a couple of teething issues I can’t quite ignore, it’s still up there as one of my favourite games in the genre.

But what exactly is Atomfall’s genre? Well it’s been relentlessly compared to Fallout by gamers and media alike;while you could certainly argue it has some shared DNA or takes inspiration from the Fallout series, Atomfall is very much its own beast. The closest comparison you could get is Stalker, but scarier, because it’s set in Britain.

See the trailer for Atomfall below

As someone born and raised in the North of England, I was very excited to see what Atomfall was about, and whether it captured the authentic Northern experience with it being based on Cumbria and the Lake District.

For a bit of context, Atomfall takes place in an alternate timeline to our own, and tells a different version of events for the Windscale power plant disaster, a real-life event that claimed over 100 fatalities.

While the real disaster was the result of a fire, Atomfall’s take on the event is far more mysterious, and it’s that mystery that serves as the crux of the game. An explosion at the power plant released something sinister, and one of the first things you see when stepping out of your bunker at the start of the game is the distant plant emanating a bizarre, blue field of energy from its core. The results of the explosion have caused a quarantine of the area, trapping residents and turning some of them stir crazy in the process.

You’ve got so many questions straight out of the gate, and throughout the game you’ll learn the secrets of Windscale and the surrounding area by chatting up the locals, uncovering notes from those who worked at the plant, and even finding some of the event’s survivors. Once you’re out in the open you’re free to go where you please - within reason - and there’s no right or wrong path to take, though I’d suggest checking out The Interchange and the village of Wyndham early into your playthrough.

That’s the beauty of Atomfall to me though: it truly is a choose-your-own-adventure game. Your main goal is to uncover the secret of Windscale, but how you do so is completely up to you, to the point where I’d wager nearly everyone’s playthrough will be different.

Rebellion Developments

There’s a massive web of contacts, plot points and mysteries to solve, some of which contribute towards the end of the game while others lead to dead-ends. When I found The Interchange I was told to look for special batteries to bring the facility back to life, and clues for where to find them. While on my way to investigate I stopped off in Wyndham to visit the pub, as you do, and went snooping around in the cellar, as you do. I found a note that said the local vicar had found one of these batteries, and when I went to the church to see if I could find it, I instead found the man standing over a dead body which he claimed was already dead when he found it. Because I’d found the note I then had the option to blackmail him into giving me the battery in exchange for not ratting him out to the local army, which I did anyway because doing so helped me curry some favour with them.

Another memorable encounter was with the local baker, who had a problem requiring a special tonic from a witch in the woods (not kidding). Finding the witch can actually lead to another one of the game’s endings.

You don’t have to speak to anyone either if you don’t want to, though I would recommend listening to what the mysterious telephone boxes have to say… If you’re feeling particularly homicidal, you can kill just about everyone in the game and still make your way to the end, though of course that’s the more difficult playthrough.

Speaking of difficulty, Atomfall has it! I played on the standard mode the game recommends, and boy did I have a tough time in those opening few hours. Combat is one of my few problems with the game, as it’s neither here nor there. Melee combat feels quite stiff at times, and there’s no block or dodge mechanic;when you’re fighting someone at close-range your only options are to either slowly back away and watch them swing wildly at the air, or boot them in the face to send them reeling back for a second. I tried to avoid melee combat when possible, but I can’t lie and say I didn’t have fun throwing axes and knives at unsuspected Druids.

Ranged combat is a bit more exciting, and arguably more fun though the trade off is ammunition is scarce and most of the guns you find aren’t great until you have the resources to upgrade them.

Resource management is a massive part of Atomfall’s gameplay-loop, and if you’re a hoarder like I’m sure you’ll do just fine. There were very few instances where I didn’t have healing items on me, and when I didn’t I usually had the materials needed to craft them. You’ll also find additional crafting recipes for throwable explosives, pills that reduce incoming damage and more.

Combat of course isn’t the only option though. Sometimes stealth is the way to go, but this is also pretty basic. Hiding in tall grass and behind large structures can get you through many encounters unscathed, but even when you’re caught it’s not usually too difficult to get away as the AI can feel very slow and thick at times.

While the first few hours can feel a bit overwhelming due to your lack of equipment, upgrades and overall experience, you do start to find your footing pretty quickly, especially once you start unlocking the upgrades that cater to your preferred playstyle.

Rebellion Developments

As for the rest of the game, as in to say the open-world itself, I had several grand days out exploring the beautiful countryside Rebellion cooked up. I was especially fond of the abundance of pasties and tea as consumable items, and while some of the accents/phrases from the NPCs felt a tad off or played up they did regularly give me a good chuckle. There were also plenty of subtle nods to British culture as well, like a Doctor Who Easter egg that had me pointing at the screen like that Leo DiCaprio meme.

One of my favourite moments is when you first get to the pub in Wyndham, and are greeted by two gentlemen outside having an argument about whether one could take on the patrolling army robots in a fight. It felt like a proper interaction you’d have with your mates when you’ve had one too many, and that charm can be felt for the majority of faces you meet throughout the game.

Towards the end of my playthrough I was starting to wish they’d included a fast travel system, just because I was doing a fair whack of backtracking. But after rolling credits and going back for some of the other endings, it would be completely missing the point of the game if you could do that.

Atomfall is a game you really want to take your time with and explore the possibilities. A lot of tales are being told here and not all of them are true, but it’s your job to connect the dots and decide what the best path ahead is, along with who you want to ally yourself with to see it through.

The only thing Atomfall suffers from is a bit of jank here and there. I’ve already talked about how the enemy AI can come across as a bit silly, but there’sthe odd other example as well. It wasn’t enough to put me off during my playthrough but if you’re going into Atomfall with the goal of being immersed it can sometimes take you out of the illusion pretty quickly.

Nevertheless I really, really enjoyed Atomfall, and it’s one of the few games in my collection that I actually want to get the platinum trophy for on PlayStation. I love the story, I love the open-zone survival/exploration gameplay, and I love the presentation. I had so many questions right out of the gate and I felt compelled to get the answers, and was equally satisfied when I’d gotten them. Investigating each thread of Atomfall’s intricate web of mystery was a joy for me from start to finish and I’m eager to see if there’s a sequel on the cards.

It’s one of the best games I’ve played this year for sure, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a compelling, narrative adventure game. It’s not a British Fallout knock-off, it’s something much more than that and it has serious potential to become a series.

Pros: An intriguing mystery from start to finish, very fun investigation system, open-zone exploration is very fun and there's lots to see, love the Northern representation

Cons: The game can feel a bit too janky at times especially during the combat which felt weak anyway

For fans of: Stalker, Fallout, Metro

9/10: Exceptional

Atomfall is available 27 March on PlayStation 5 (version tested), PlayStation 4, Xbox Series XS, Xbox One and PC. A review code was provided by the publisher. Read a guide to our review scores here.