Join me on an intense journey through the English countryside with Atomfall, the latest survival-action game from Sniper Elite's developers, Rebellion. During a recent visit to a North London pub, I had the chance to dive into the game hands-on over a pint. Atomfall's open-ended mission design and eerie atmosphere left me both intrigued and slightly unhinged, as I found myself attacking everyone in sight—including an innocent old lady—with a cricket bat. Let me explain why this happened.
In Atomfall, every NPC, from the lowliest grunt to the most vital quest-giver, can be killed. Eager to test this feature, I began my demo by exploring the digital Cumbria landscape. Within minutes, my clumsiness activated a tripwire alarm, leading to a brutal encounter with three guards, whom I dispatched using a cricket bat drenched in blood.
Soon after, I looted a bow and arrow, quickly becoming enamored with its use. With my new weapon, I could handle both long and short-range combat, allowing my cricket bat a much-needed break. As I explored further, I encountered a towering wicker man, a chilling reminder of the folk horror themes that underpin Atomfall's segmented world, composed of multiple "open zones." This eerie setting adds to the mystery I'm trying to unravel: what caused the transformation of this once-sleepy corner of England into an irradiated wasteland?
My musings were interrupted by a group of druids, likely connected to the wicker man. They became perfect targets for my bow, and as I took them down, I couldn't help but shout, "I'M ROBIN BLOODY HOOD," before snapping back to reality in the London pub. It was only 10 am, and I hadn't touched my drink yet.
The bow was satisfying to use, but I was more intrigued by Atomfall's innovative approach to stamina. Instead of a traditional depleting bar, the game uses a heart rate monitor that increases with physically taxing actions. For instance, extended sprinting can push your heart rate over 140 bpm, impacting your ability to aim steadily. Later, I discovered a Bow Mastery skill manual that allowed me to mitigate the effects of a high heart rate on drawing the bowstring. While the skill tree might not be the most complex, it offers enough flexibility to customize your character's abilities to suit your preferred gameplay style, whether that's stealth or gunplay.
Atomfall Screenshots
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With only a trail of dead druids to my name, you might wonder what my ultimate goal was. I was equally unsure. My aimless exploration of the Casterfall Woods hadn't yielded much, so I followed a note leading me to a herbalist, Mother Jago, near an old mine. Along the way, I noticed hints of a larger narrative, such as a shimmering, oily swirl over a power plant, seemingly the source of Britain's post-apocalyptic state. A ringing phone box and a creepy voice warning me to stay out of the woods added to the eerie atmosphere.
The path was dotted with environmental story elements, like an old boathouse with an alarm system and a mound of skulls nearby. Atomfall's atmosphere shifts from peaceful forests to zones of terror, reminiscent of games like Stalker rather than Fallout. The game encourages thorough exploration and investigation, much like classic point-and-click adventures.
After another druid massacre and looting their garden center home for herbs, I met Mother Jago at her allotment. Her cryptic answers to my questions left me searching for more clues. Eventually, she offered valuable information in exchange for retrieving her herbalism book, which was being held hostage in the druids' fortified castle. With a new lead, I set out to find the book, choosing to approach the castle from the side.
En route, I encountered a druid patrol at an abandoned petrol station, leading to what I dubbed the Battle of the Forecourt. The enemy AI, while not the most reactive, provided a satisfying challenge. Inside the castle's outer walls, I found a locked hut with a note hinting at distant map coordinates for the key. Atomfall doesn't use objective markers, forcing players to study the map and place markers themselves. Deciding to follow a different path, I entered the central keep, searching for the book amidst the castle's dark corridors. Despite thorough exploration, I found no sign of it, illustrating Atomfall's challenging mission design.
Following the coordinates, I ventured into the den of a poison plant monster, which proved deadly. After reloading my save and using my Skyrim bunny-hopping skills to bypass it, I collected the keys from a previous victim. Back at the hut, I found a perk point and ammo but no book. Delving deeper into the castle's underbelly, I killed the High Priestess and her followers, uncovering new items and quests but still no book.
Xbox Games Series Tier List
Xbox Games Series Tier List
After my demo ended, I learned the book had been on a table I'd passed multiple times. Convinced it was a ruse, I returned to Mother Jago, only to kill her in frustration. Searching her body, I found a recipe that could have helped against the poison monster, realizing too late that this was the valuable information she'd promised.
Atomfall's runtime is estimated at 25 hours, with varied experiences possible within that time. Another demo player shared a different adventure involving a crashed helicopter and a region filled with killer robots and mutants, highlighting the game's depth and secrets.
While the game's objectives might be too obtuse for some, Atomfall rewards players who embrace its challenging quest design. The blurred lines between side and main objectives create a sense of peril, encouraging players to craft their own stories and uncover the mysteries of the irradiated English countryside. Despite my violent path and the death of Mother Jago, I'm eager to see how my story will differ from others'.
With bloodied hands and a cricket bat in tow, I end my session in true British fashion: heading to the pub to wait for the chaos to subside.
