WhenAtomfallwas first revealed at theXboxGames Showcase in June, it was met with a resounding chorus of gamers (includingour own Ben Sledge) going, “So, British Fallout?” I can’t really blame them – thecinematic trailerportrayed a quaint British town getting ravaged by nuclear disaster, leaving it dilapidated, full of flamethrowing robots and guys in weird helmets, and plagued by what seemed to beferal ghoulszombies.
Developer Rebellion is best known for its Sniper Elite games, making Atomfall quite a deviation from its usual fare.
Most of the gameplay we saw looked fairly Fallout-y as well, letting you stalk enemies and shoot them in the head with arrows. There was one particularly creepy cave with what seemed to be a glowing Wicker Man, which was more reminiscent of Skyrim than anything. Atomfall lacked Fallout’s distinct American retrofuturist aesthetic, but substituted it for something that felt more British.
Not many people were screaming home about Atomfall then, but its latest Gamescom trailer is starting to really grab players’ attention. It looks pretty Fallout-y here too, but it’s building atmosphere far better than last time, showcasing the gorgeous environment of the Lake District, an incredibly British pub, and pure rural townsfolk vibes.
I’m really loving the focus on 1950s Yorkshire – there’s a historical tinge here that is incredibly appealing. There was also a fair amount of cool-looking, frenetic combat with a multitude of weapons, blending melee and ranged combat with fluidity, showing us how Rebellion is making use of its expertise in gunplay.
This in itself wasn’tthatinteresting, but its gameplay overview at Future Games Show definitely had me sitting up straight in my seat. This more detailed look at the game acknowledged its Fallout influence, but also highlightedBioShockandMetroas inspirations, both of which definitely have fingerprints on what we’ve seen so far.
Associate head of design Ben Fisher revealed that the game hasan amnesiac protagonist, and part of the story revolves around uncovering why they’re here, what’s caused the disaster, and how to survive it. Clues as to the character’s backstory are planted throughout the game, and there are many mysteries set up that might not necessarily pay off as “part of the larger worldbuilding”. This, in itself, is a tribute to British culture – as Fisher puts it, “Part of that as well is that the history of that kind of British storytelling is to open mysteries and not fully resolve them in a satisfying way.”
Fisher also says that Atomfall blends survival, combat, and investigative gameplay, but to make it more accessible to different kinds of players with varying playstyles, Atomfall gives you options “at the start of the game to finetune any of those channels of gameplay” so you can have the kind of experience you want.
Previews coming out of Gamescom have highlighted the game’s survival mechanics, which we haven’t seen that much of yet, and the feeling that combat is incredibly high-stakes because every bullet can do a massive amount of damage, to both you and your enemy. Another high point was its atmosphere – its setting was a little empty, but had loads of character.
It’s this mix of gameplay mechanics, strong personality, and interest in catering to different play styles that makes Atomfall so much more interesting to me than whatever Bethesda’s next Fallout game will be. Sure, the premises are similar, and Fallout already created the blueprint, but Atomfall is trying to do more than what Fallout London might have strived for. I’ve never been one for survival shooters, but if Atomfall lets me focus on the world’s mysteries more than on killing people, I might just be sold.
Atomfall
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A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England.Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.
