Atomfall Review

The open-world action RPG Atomfall is the latest game from Rebellion, a studio well-known for the Sniper Elite series. While Sniper Elite's gameplay is widely regarded as a landmark in the tactical shooter genre, Atomfall significantly breaks from the norm. 

While Atomfall isn't drastically different from the action RPG genre, it does put more emphasis on exploration and narrative than it does on combat-oriented gameplay. Honestly, my expectations weren't too high for this game, but Rebellion somewhat proved me wrong.

Atomfall takes place in a different timeline after the Windscale nuclear disaster in northern England. The game delves into uncharted areas, shifting away from conventional action-packed games and toward a more atmospheric, free-form adventure type of experience. The game emphasizes uncovering mysteries in its world by combining its unique world design with a focus on problem-solving gameplay.

At the beginning of the story, you find yourself waking up in a bunker that is shrouded in mystery. You are being escorted by an unknown individual who is clothed in a hazmat suit. You are thrown in a quarantine zone with nothing more than a cloudy keycard, and it is in this zone that you discover riddles regarding an experiment conducted by the government that is known as Oberon. 

You will gradually piece together the plot as you go throughout the zone by engaging with a number of factions, solving riddles, and ultimately discovering the dark history of the zone. This will take place while you are moving across the zone. Through exploration of bunkers, military bases, and civilian communities, the story provides you with the opportunity to select your own path. 

Despite this, however, the lack of a specific objective results in a frequent perplexing sense of progression. Because the game encourages discovery rather than delivering information in an orderly manner, it is vital to explore in order to figure out what's truly happening in Atomfall's world. Therefore, exploration is essential. On the other hand, if the layout of the map had not been so repetitious, the mystery may have been more attractive.

You are able to explore the world on your own thanks to Atomfall's mission system, which is designed to flow together without any restrictions. Due to the absence of a standard mission log, you need to rely on exploration in order to advance the storyline. In order to piece together the plot, the gameplay is centered on exploration, which includes finding notes, meeting non-playable characters, and uncovering clues.

The redirection tool, which enables you to regulate power flows, and a metal detector, which enables you to identify hidden loot, will be among the pieces of equipment that you will have access to on your end. These devices play a significant part in revealing previously secret locations and resolving many minor challenges, which in turn rewards you for engaging in extended exploration. 

From the very beginning, the open-world zones are totally explorable, and you have the option of choosing how you want to approach the narrative. You can choose to enter the interchange immediately, or you can also choose to finish the side quests first.

Despite this, the inventory system creates a sense of burden because of the limits that it imposes. It is not uncommon for useful objects to be left behind due to the limited size of the inventory, which might be frustrating, at least on occasion. This is because the inventory is at a restricted capacity. 

The crafting system is yet another example of a promise that was not utilized. This is because the vast majority of the resources collected did not turn out to be usable. Exploration is the most exciting part of the experience; nevertheless, the friction produced by the management of inventory and the manufacturing of ingredients detracts from it.

Atomfall''s combat is where it fell short, and it lacks the polish that would make it stand out from other games in its genre. At various points throughout the game, you will be confronted by a wide variety of enemies, including humanoid bandits, mutant monsters, and hostile tribes. 

Weapons in the game can also be difficult to handle. Weapons in the game are heavier than anticipated, which results in fighting that is less fluid. On the other side, the stamina system offers a significantly more rewarding experience when engaging in melee combat. 

This not only makes the game substantially more pleasant, but it also requires you to plan out your attacks, which adds an element of strategy to the overall experience. AI enemies can flank and conceal themselves behind cover, yet there are instances in which the behavior of the enemies can be observed and anticipated from a distance.

The puzzles in the game come into play when you need to navigate the various side regions, bunkers, and caverns that are scattered throughout the game. The presence of radiation zones, lighting fungus, and environmental dangers is all factors that lead to stress, which means that you are forced to come up with creative solutions in order to successfully handle obstacles. 

While they are mostly straightforward, the puzzles are quite efficient at producing a feeling of dread, particularly in environments that are solitary or lonely. Once you start to enjoy solving these puzzles, you'll soon figure out that the combat does not manage to achieve the same level of immersion as solving puzzles.

Unlike most action RPGs, there is no standard technique for leveling play in Atomfall. Character progression is accomplished by exploration and the discovery of training manuals, which unlock skill points, and this is the only way. The grind that is typical in role-playing games is eliminated as a result of this, but the complexity of character growth is also reduced.

You can improve your fighting and investigative skills, as well as receive advantages such as increased inventory capacity and a quicker recovery from illness. Although the absence of an experience point system makes growth feel more natural, the few available abilities are difficult to use and do not significantly contribute to the overall gameplay experience.

The visuals of Atomfall are a bit of a mixed bag. While you feel the lack of polish throughout the game, the countryside of Britain is full of vibrant scenes that are gradually being overtaken by nature as it reclaims the land. The map's design is vastly complicated, with a great deal of hidden locations and a narrative that is not immediately obvious. The moments in the game that are the most atmospheric are those in which you are exploring small bunkers or caverns. 

The eerie light of blue fungus and environmental hazards create a disturbing atmosphere. There are tiny nuances that heighten the immersion, and the setting has the feeling of being lived in. Although the world design as a whole is well done, there are certain portions of the map that can feel monotonous. This is especially true in regions that are home to a number of different factions.

On the other hand, Atomfall's soundtrack design perfectly complements the game's horrific, post-apocalyptic atmosphere. The ambient sound design makes the world feel alive, such as the buzz of radiation zones or the sounds of creatures in the distance. 

A muted yet strong soundtrack plays throughout the game, whether during exploration or battle, which helps to increase the level of suspense. The sound effects during combat could use a bit of improvement, as they do not have the degree of weight and power that the game appears to demand.

Overall, Atomfall has a lot of potential, but it doesn't deliver on that potential. The world design, characters, and emphasis on exploration are the most noticeable aspects of this game; yet, the lack of challenge, flawed combat systems, and inadequate progression system hold it back. 

Even though it offers an unusual experience from the regular action RPGs that we play, it appears to be a missed opportunity to deliver a satisfying adventure. The atmosphere and the discoveries made in the game's narrative are compelling, yet the repetitive world design and the lackluster combat may leave genre fans feeling dissatisfied. Despite these flaws, it remains an enjoyable, albeit short, adventure for fans of discovery-based gameplay.