Fans of Fallout, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
Often, I saw comparisons for Atomfall as a blend ofthe captivation in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
2and thethriving questlines of Fallout 76.
The place shown is packed with little tidbits to find and an equal number of enemies.
Even aftermy Atomfall preview, that felt accurate to me.
However, following a proper playthrough, it’s closer toArkane’s 2017 Preythan the Fallout series.
What I likedWhat’s fineWhat I didn’t likeShould you buy it?
No, this is Atomfall, not Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
A masterclass in surreal science fiction and player freedom, Atomfall matches Prey more often than I ever imagined.
Atomfall lets you ignore all of that or do it all in several different ways.
Tackling the world how you choose is a liberty that’s oft not granted to the player.
Every cave, bunker, and subsection feels unique. Places never felt reused to me.
I’ve been gaming since I was five on a Super Nintendo from Blockbuster.
This review was made possible thanks to a code provided by Rebellion.
The company had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
I swear he was dead when I got here.
However, from that point forward, you might quickly diverge out in any direction you wish.
Each zone has its own vibe that players will need to respect when walking the zone.
Every major area also has multiple smaller ones attached.
You’ll find batteries with traders, in bunkers, and sometimes just out in the open.
You’ll uncover bunkers in Skettermore, a castle in Casterfell, and entire department spaces in the Interchange.
Wherever your travels take you, Atomfall awards your curiosity.
Leads are the heart of Atomfall’s quest system.
It Came From Beneath the Sea!
The lead system in Atomfall is a refreshing change of pace.
Find the Interchange and make your escape from the quarantine zone.
From there, how you go about it is up to you.
Keep an eye out for these suckers. You’re going to need them.
The travels ahead are shaped by your decisions, each leading you down a different road.
The narrative is yours to make.
It sets a bar that all games of this nature should aspire to achieve.
Yes, you can punch birds.
As with most titles, the story is the vehicle that is relied on to move the game forward.
With the liberty Atomfall provides, every storyline can be ignored.
The main gameplay loop revolves around powering the Interchange through the use of atomic batteries.
A little ole' neck snapping was about to occur.
Allowing even more freedom in which ones you choose to go after.
Otherwise known as the British Atomic Research Division.
If you’re careful enough, you may just find that line that walks between two groups equally.
It looks festive, but everyone here is a straight up creep.
Then again, maybe it’ll get you killed.
Whatever path your journey takes you on, I guarantee yours will be different than that of a friend.
You’ll find your own perilous routes to navigate through the world.
The AI was zig zagging back and forth while the rest of the regimen walked normally. It’s like the NPC was stuck in stalking mode for combat that didn’t exist.
Be it a soldier, druid, secret agent, or some random throaty voice on the telephone.
They’re everywhere, but Rebellion challenges you to entirely ignore them.
You don’t see many, if any, games doing that.
These booths are everywhere. Keep an eye for them!
What’s fine: Combat
Combat is a straightforward affair in Atomfall.
Both ranged and melee attacks are simple yet satisfying when put in motion.
A light swing produces a satisfying thwack across an enemy’s face.
A heavier swing handles and looks concussive.
It’s simple but gets the job done.
Weapons won’t suffer from degradation either.
Find a favorite, and it’s possible for you to go the whole game without swapping it out.
That’s precisely what I did.
Paired with a melee damage-increasing skill, I one to two-shot most enemies in the game.
Ranged combat is more by the numbers, as any human enemy will fall swiftly to a single headshot.
You won’t find the BFG from DOOM or some incredible-looking Fallout-esque weaponry.
The breadth of combat stops there.
You’re a nobody in a maddening world trying to make it out.
Not some trained soldier with outlandish mechanical weaponry.
Even the skills you could learn are fairly basic by the numbers improvements.
What I didn’t like: Enemy AI
My only real negative revolves around AI polish.
you’ve got the option to really shatter enemy brains in this game by hilarious amounts at times.
Find a ladder, and you could directly stream enemies directly into you one after the other.
They won’t stop, either.
Other times, walking out of a room would send an enemy sprinting back to their original location.
Should you buy it?
What it does have is serviceable, with weird AI moments that are more funny than sad.
Atomfall is a game I adored playing from beginning to end.
The further I got, the better Atomfall became.
Fans of Prey, Fallout, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
2 will find a home in Atomfall.
I can’t wait for it!
