Join me on a violent jaunt through the English countryside—a 90-minute immersion in Atomfall, the new survival-action game from Rebellion, the minds behind Sniper Elite. I recently spent some time in a North London pub, enjoying a pint and some hands-on playtime, and came away intrigued by Atomfall’s open-ended missions and unsettling atmosphere. I might also have momentarily lost my marbles and decided to assault everyone in sight—including a seemingly innocent old lady—with a cricket bat. Let me explain.
Every NPC in Atomfall is killable, from the lowliest grunt to the most crucial quest-giver. Starting the demo, I decided to test this very feature. My approach was, shall we say, less than graceful. Barely two minutes into exploring this digital Cumbria, I triggered a tripwire, forcing me to eliminate three alerted guards. My weapon of choice? A cricket bat, christened my murder accomplice in a rather bloody baptism.
Later, I looted a bow and arrow, quickly switching to my preferred ranged combat. Mr. Cricket Bat earned a well-deserved rest. Nearby, a towering wicker man awaited immolation. I wisely avoided it; I've seen how those stories end. Such sights hint at the folk horror undertones forming the foundation of this region, one of *Atomfall’s* several "open zones." The unsettling atmosphere only deepened the mystery: what exactly transpired in this once-sleepy, now-irradiated corner of England?My contemplation was interrupted by a group of druids—likely connected to the wicker man. They served as perfect archery targets. One. Two. Three. Down they went. My inner Robin Hood momentarily took over before I snapped back to reality, back to my London pub. (No, I hadn't had a drink yet; it was only 10 AM.)
The bow felt satisfying, but I was more interested in Atomfall’s unique stamina system. Instead of a traditional depleting bar, it uses a heart rate monitor that increases with strenuous activity. Sprinting raises your BPM, hindering aim if you suddenly need to fight. Later, I found a Bow Mastery skill, negating the heartbeat's impact on drawing the bow. While not the most thrilling perk, the skill tree seemed flexible enough to tailor your character to your preferred playstyle, favoring stealth or gunplay.
Atomfall screenshots
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My achievements thus far: a pile of dead druids. My objective? Well, even I wasn't entirely sure. Aimless exploration of Casterfall Woods yielded little, so I followed my only lead: a note pointing to a herbalist, Mother Jago, near an old mine. Along the way, I found hints of the larger story: a shimmering, oily swirl over a power plant—the apparent cause of Britain's post-apocalyptic state. A nearby phone box rang, a creepy voice warning me to avoid the woods. Too late.
The path was filled with similar environmental storytelling: an unsettlingly rigged boathouse, adorned with "get lost," a warning the nearby skull pile ignored. Atomfall maintains a consistently uneasy atmosphere, blending tranquil forests with creepy zones of terror. While Fallout comparisons are common, I found Stalker and its sequel to be more fitting comparisons, in tone and design.
Following another druid massacre (and looting their garden center for herbs), I met Mother Jago. Dressed in a plum coat and skull-adorned hat, she resembled a dark magic-practicing Angela Lansbury. My hopes for clarity were dashed; she offered vague answers, despite exhausting every dialogue option. This reminded me of classic point-and-click adventures, encouraging thorough exploration of conversations for hints. A breakthrough: she offered information in exchange for her stolen herbalism book, held hostage by the druids. With a new lead, I returned to the castle.
Atomfall’s freeform design allowed any approach, so I attacked from the side. A druid patrol near an abandoned petrol station initiated the Battle of the Forecourt (as I'll call it). The enemy AI wasn't the most reactive, but the satisfying carnage alerted archers. I dispatched them with a nail bomb, then engaged in some close-quarters combat. The combat is fun, but not top-tier; enemy encounters seem more like a sideshow to the main event of exploration.
After sniping some axe-wielding brutes, I entered the castle. A locked hut with map coordinates suggested the keys were far away. *Atomfall* lacks objective markers, leaving you to mark points of interest. Could the book be there? My hunch said no, so I went to the main keep.Inside, more druids to dispatch, but no book. A ten-minute search yielded only crafting materials. This exemplifies Atomfall’s obtuse mission design. No hand-holding; the book won't glow. While frustrating at times, I appreciated Rebellion's challenging, explorative vision.
I appreciated Rebellion’s challenging, explorative vision. Following the paper trail, I found the coordinates leading to a poison plant monster. Rifle bullets were ineffective, resulting in a quick death. Reloading, I used some acrobatic skills to bypass it, retrieving the keys from a victim. Back at the hut, I found a perk point and ammo—but no book.
Exploring the castle's depths, I killed the High Priestess and her lackeys, finding an SMG, poison bomb recipe, and an atomic battery, opening a new questline—but no book. My demo time ran out.
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My session ended, I learned the book was in the castle, on a table I'd passed multiple times. Before that revelation, I believed the book was a ruse. I returned to the herbalist, who, of course, had nothing to say. My character's descent into violence took over, so I killed her. Searching her body, I found a recipe to combat the poison swamp monster. We could have saved time.
Atomfall’s runtime is substantial; developers estimated 4-5 hours minimum, with most players taking around 25. My experience differed greatly from another player's, who started with a crashed helicopter, leading to killer robots and mutants. Atomfall offers depth and mystery.
Atomfall rewards those who embrace its obfuscated quest design. The lack of direction might be offputting, but the blurred lines between main and side objectives create peril, encouraging unique player experiences and endings. My ending, despite killing Mother Jago, will likely differ from yours.
That's all for today. My hands bloodied, I'll take my cricket bat to the pub and let things settle.
