Atomfall, from the makers of Sniper Elite, is finally here. Thanks to the folks at Xbox, I had the chance to play the game a few days before launch. This is by no means a full review of the game, that will come in a follow-up article.
My Early Adventures in the Quarantine Zone
Much like our protagonist in Atomfall when I started my playthrough I had no idea what to expect. As I progressed and moved through the world, I was drawn into the story and the world around me. Awakening in a strange place not knowing where you are or what’s going on, you have nothing but the clothes on your back and your wits to guide you.
Editors Note: If you’d like to see the game in action and see my initial reactions you can check out the VOD HERE
This forces you to learn quickly that the world around you is very hostile and encourages players to find a way to survive.
Atomfall’s play mechanics are reminiscent of the Fallout series of games, which I found refreshing, as I enjoy narrative-driven games.
The Keys to Survival
The first order of business in my mind is to arm myself. In my experience, this was easier said than done. This game does not seem to randomly leave weapons, guns, or otherwise, lying around for you to find. You will need to barter for weapons, and ammo (which is scarce), or acquire them from corpses you leave in your wake.
(A quick note on killing: from what I can tell, nobody is off limits to killing, how this could affect quests I do not know.)
It’s Not Stealing If They Don’t Care
As to be expected, resource gathering is one of the keys. Whether it be for crafting bandages or other items or to use for trade, it’s wise to pick up everything.
There are also collectibles scattered throughout the land, leaving no stone unturned and no room unsearched. Unlike many games of this style, you won’t be collecting any form of currency to purchase food, weapons, crafting recipes, or other resources.
Atomfall has instead opted for a barter system, where you will trade items for what you want. I found this refreshing and the game’s implementation of its barter system is simple and not burdensome.
Getting To Know The People of Atomfall
The Protocol (Military), Villagers, Outlaws, Ferals, Druids, and more are some of the different factions you will meet on your journey. Who’s side will you take?
The Story of Atomfall
The Atomfall story begins five years after the Windscale Disaster, which happened in Northern England in 1957. This is a fictionalized telling of the aftermath of that disaster where a quarantine zone has been set up around the Atom Plant and no one has been allowed to come in or out. You wake up in a bunker with no idea who you are, or how you got there. It’s up to you to uncover the mystery of what has happened and those responsible.
Experience Atomfall The Way You Want
When you first start Atomfall, players are presented with the option to adjust the game to your playstyle. There are five options to adjust the level of challenge for combat, survival, and exploration. Rebellion suggests playing on ‘Survivor’, but you have the following options:
- Sightseer – a low-pressure mode for those who want to enjoy the narrative and exploration of Atomfall.
- Investigator – for players who enjoy unguided exploration but prefer lighter survival and combat.
- Brawler – you enjoy combat but prefer lighter survival and guided exploration.
- Survivor – the classic Atomfall experience. A balance between combat and survival.
- Veteran – harsh combat and consequences, a gritty battle for survival.
These settings can be adjusted beyond their initial defaults to suit your playstyle.
Visually Stunning World of Atomfall
Once I left the bunker and experienced the bigger world, I was immediately taken aback by the world’s stunning beauty. Within the backdrop of the rolling green hills of 1950s England with their bright, vibrant flashes of color brought on by the wildflowers and other plant life.
Some of these are used with other resources to craft supplies you will need to survive the world of Atomfall. Tucked within this picturesque landscape is the village of Wyndham. It’s alive with conversations, villagers, and soldiers keeping order. The look and feel of the buildings and environment add to the immersion.
Character Models
If I had to critique anything visually it would be the facial character models. The facial expressions don’t always match the tone of the dialogue. Thankfully this doesn’t distract from the otherwise strong presentation.
Audio
The audio mix in Atomfall is extremely immersive and very well done. The directional sounds are spot on. I need to say I had some audio drops where the game would become silent, requiring a complete shutdown and restart of Atomfall. Sadly, a simple save/load would not resolve it.
Accessibility is at the core of Atomfall
Atomfall is Rebellion’s most accessible game to date and offers one of the biggest, most comprehensive lists of options I’ve seen in a game of this type. The game will “hold your hand” as little or as much as the player desires.
Melee & Aim Assistance
Aim assistance is provided independently for both aim-down sights and hip fire. melee assistance is an option to help reduce the accuracy needed to land melee hits. There are four options for melee assistance, ranging from moving and rotating the player, down to landing the hit when in range without any moving or rotating of the player.
Audio Assisted Aiming
Atomfall features audio-assisted aim, which will allow players without sight or with limited vision, being able to more fully experience gunplay and combat. The audio-based aim is composed of a three-layer system; the first of which goes hand in hand with our new Snap Aiming.
- Snap Aiming features the options Off, On, and On with Cues. On with Cues means that there are unique audio cues played when snapping on and off an enemy. This helps give players an audio indication of whether they’re snapped on a target.
- Aiming Cues. These sounds will be played at different pitches and frequencies depending on how close to the target you aim, allowing players to judge how close they are to a target using audio feedback. The system uses frequency (how often the sound is played) to show horizontal proximity and uses pitch to show vertical proximity. These cues also change to give you an indication of when you are over your target.
- Persistent enemy audio. When activated, a player can attach a looping piece of audio to every enemy in the game. This means players can tell where the enemies are around them through sound alone and allows them to engage in melee combat through audio.
These three features can be enabled independently or all together, allowing you to fine-tune the experience to your needs.
Pausing Options in Atomfall
The game has the option to pause the game during full-screen menus and during pop-ups. These can be enabled independently of each other and allow players to process tutorials or use their menu without time pressure.
One Note That Could Impact Some Players
As of the writing of this article, there are no plans for Menu Narration or Audio World Navigation in Atomfall, some players will best experience Atomfall through co-pilot. There are no plans for Closed Captions for sound effects, though the game will have clear subtitles and visual feedback where possible.
Accessibility is just one of the ways where this game shines. I’ve been watching this game closely for a while now and from the start Rebellion has shown commitment to making an experience that everyone can enjoy. A Complete list of Atomfall’s accessibility can be found HERE
My Final Thoughts
Based on my limited time with Atomfall’s world, I can say that Rebellion has something special here. I’m looking forward to experiencing the rest of the story, it has been far too long since we’ve seen a game like this and it’s come at the right time.
Atomfall Launches March 27th, and Early Access Opens March 24th.
Available on Xbox Game Pass (Day One), Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows PC and PC via Steam & Epic Games Store
Thank you to Xbox for providing Lordsofgaming.net with a game code.
