Rebellion is best known for their X-ray kill cam Sniper Elite series, undead slaying Zombie Army games, and James Bond bad-guy dream simulator title Evil Genius. So, to say the Oxford studio has a style would be a fair shout. They have tended to stick to what they know and do best. But, that has all changed with their latest game, a brand-new IP, Atomfall.
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Rebellion have marched into a new genre with Atomfall, their first action-survival game. On paper, you’ll hear people say this is Fallout, but in Britain. However, this is reductive at best, and just plain wrong at worst.
Off to Windscale
Atomfall is a narrative-driven tale, based in a microcosm of society after its collapse. Finding out why civilisation has taken leave is a tenuous goal, and the game gives you the freedom to find out what you want, how you want it.
There are tones of Fallout. Both feature nuclear catastrophe and violent post-apocalyptic living, all juxtaposed with a 1950s optimistic tone. But, that’s where the similarities end. Atomfall takes a very British look at a very familiar subject of an apocalyptic event.
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Gone are the dust-filled brown landscapes of similar games, instead Atomfall is lush and vibrant. This use of colour, and how it presents a different view of the apocalypse, gives it an original feel.
It’s Called Sellafield Now
Atomfall is centred around real-world disaster that happened at the Windscale nuclear facility in 1957. A fire at the facility, the extent of which was, at first and incompetently, covered up by the UK government, caused the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere and the nearby Irish sea.
Atomfall takes an alternative-history look at the disaster, turning Northern England into a radioactive quarantine zone rather than a relatively minor affair. The area has turned into a chaotic all-out brawl to survive by the time the game lets you loose.
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You fill the boots of an unidentified amnesiac, who wakes up in a bunker five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster. Things have changed since then, to say the least.
A Nuclear Mystery
While fighting to escape, you also uncover a few details on what happened in the area. And, you best be ready for a fight. Awaiting you are mutated creatures, members of a violent doomsday cult, rogue military, and huge robots.
Atomfall is definitely not a walk in the park. As you explore, you’ll find a number of key characters who all have a stake in what happens in the quarantine zone. Talking to them and doing missions will allow you to work out what exactly is your best option to help when it comes to the crunch.
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However, it’s ultimately up to you what you do. If you want to just beat everyone with your cricket bat, aim for a six. You can help, or hinder, as much as you want. But, be warned, this freedom comes with responsibility. If key characters die, they stay dead.
Atomfall‘s most unique feature, beyond the world and setting, is its handling of missions. These are based on a clue system where you need to find leads. Leads that may move you forward, or lead to a dead end.
A Very Public Enquiry
The leads system takes time to get to grips with as Atomfall throws you in the deep end after you leave your starting bunker. Honestly, you walk out the door and can do/go where you want. It may be a bit daunting at first, but exploring around really helps to bring things together. Searching every nook and cranny is vital, as leads can be found in any place and circumstance.
The world isn’t truly open, but rather a number of areas linked through hubs – The Village to start with, then The Interchange. Each is a good size, and each has its own feel. From a forest covered in mist, to green crop-filled fields, to abandoned mines. There are also a number of separate areas that act more like dungeons.
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Combat is split between ranged and melee, and you will often mix between them as you go. There is a decent arsenal that you can upgrade through the perk tree, itself a good size.
There are other little buffs and tweaks you’ll not really notice. More meaningful perks can be had by spending in-game points you find from searching high risk areas.
Mutually Assured Tickling
On the whole combat is fun but a bit clunky. It’s mechanically similar to the close-quarter fights in Sniper Elite, a form that isn’t helped by enemies always moving in packs of six, which is a bit strange. Also, every baddie has hawk eye sight and can spot you a huge distance away, something which can stifle the stealth option at times.
Also, a bit surprising is there isn’t a sniper rifle in there, which is a shock given Rebellion’s clear love for the firearm.
Stylish Means, Stylish Ends
Atomfall looks great. The British-inspired back drops, to the friends and enemies you’ll come across are all detailed and artistically satisfying. The audio also helps support the story and its setting. There’s a very impressive array of accents on show, and, more impressively, the regional accents sound like real people more than comic relief. Music wise, it’s fine. The most important, and memorable, track being the one that plays where you alert an enemy as it helps let you know.
Worth noticing at the time of writing, there is a bug in that game the makes the sound drop out wholesale. Players will need hard reset to get it going again, which is a pain. However, Rebellion are working on a patch, and I would expect this to be fixed soon.
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Atomfall may look and sound like others in the class, Fallout and S.T.A.L.K.E.R, it cuts its own path. Rebellion have crafted an engaging and compelling tale and world that is begging to be uncovered and explored in equal measures.
Also, it’s a welcome break to head to the Lake District instead of some far-off land, it adds a real weight to things, as well as highlighting a mostly forgotten real-world event.
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