Join me on a thrilling journey through the English countryside, known as my 90-minute session with Atomfall, the new survival-action game developed by Sniper Elite's creators, Rebellion. I recently visited a pub in North London for a pint and some hands-on gameplay, and I left intrigued by Atomfall's open-ended mission design and its eerie atmosphere. However, I might have lost my sanity in the process, as I ended up attacking everyone in sight—including an innocent old lady—with a cricket bat. Let me delve into why.
In Atomfall, every NPC, from the lowliest grunt to the most crucial quest-giver, can be killed. As I began my demo, I decided to put this feature to the test. My approach might have been unrefined; barely two minutes into exploring this digital Cumbria, I accidentally triggered a tripwire alarm, forcing me to dispatch three alerted guards using the blunt end of a cricket bat. This hefty piece of wood, now christened with their blood, became my instrument of choice.
Later, I acquired a bow and arrow, which I eagerly equipped, being a fan of archery in games. Now armed for both long and short-range engagements, I let the cricket bat rest. Nearby, a towering wicker man loomed ominously, a nod to the folk horror that underpins this segment of Atomfall's world, composed of multiple "open zones." These zones contribute to a convincingly uneasy atmosphere, deepening the mystery of what exactly happened in this now-irradiated corner of England.
My contemplation was interrupted by a group of druids, likely connected to the wicker man. They became perfect targets for my new bow. One. Two. Three. They fell, and my mind shouted, "I'M ROBIN BLOODY HOOD," before I snapped back to reality in the London pub. It was only 10 am, and I hadn't touched a drink yet.
The bow felt satisfying to use, but what intrigued me more was Atomfall's innovative approach to stamina. Instead of a traditional depleting and regenerating bar, the game uses a heart rate monitor that increases with physically demanding actions. Sprinting for an extended period can push your heart rate over 140 bpm, affecting your aim and accuracy in combat. I later found a Bow Mastery skill manual that unlocked a perk to mitigate the impact of a high heart rate on drawing the bowstring. While the skill tree may not be the most complex, it offers enough flexibility to tailor your character's abilities to your preferred playstyle, whether it's stealth or direct combat.
Atomfall Screenshots
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With my only achievement being a trail of dead druids, you might wonder about my overall goal. So did I. My aimless exploration of the Casterfall Woods region hadn't uncovered anything significant, so I followed my only lead: a note directing me to a herbalist named Mother Jago, who lived near an old mine. Along the way, I noticed hints of a larger story, such as a shimmering, oily swirl of blues and purples hovering over a power plant—the apparent cause of Britain's post-apocalyptic state. A nearby phone box rang, and a creepy voice warned me to stay out of the woods. Too late for that, but thanks for the heads-up.
The path was dotted with environmental storytelling elements, like an old boathouse rigged with an unsettling alarm system, painted with the words "get lost"—a warning the nearby mound of skulls and bones had ignored. Atomfall's atmosphere shifts from serene, leafy forests to zones of terror, reminiscent of Stalker more than Fallout, both in tone and game design.
After another druid massacre, where I looted their garden center home for herbs, I met Mother Jago at her quaint allotment retreat. Dressed in a plum-colored coat and a hat adorned with an animal skull and roses, she resembled Angela Lansbury if she had ventured into black magic aromatherapy instead of crime-solving. However, she offered only vague answers to my questions, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures where you must explore every conversation for hints. Eventually, she offered valuable information in exchange for her herbalism book, which was held hostage at the druids' fortified castle. With a new lead, I set off across the map in search of the book.
Atomfall's freeform design allowed me to approach the castle from any angle, so I chose a side attack. En route, I encountered a druid patrol near an abandoned petrol station, leading to the historic Battle of the Forecourt. I lobbed my only grenade into their midst, and though the enemy AI wasn't the most reactive, the satisfying explosion alerted archers further down the road. I halted their advance with a nail bomb and closed the distance to snap one's neck before resuming my head-smashing spree with the cricket bat. While the combat isn't top-tier, it's fun to engage with enemies as a sideshow to the main event of uncovering the world's secrets.
After sniping a few axe-wielding brutes, I entered the castle's outer walls and found a locked hut. A note with map coordinates suggested the keys were far to the southeast. Atomfall doesn't use objective markers, instead encouraging players to study the map and place their own markers on points of interest. My intuition told me the book wasn't in the hut, so I headed to the central keep's front doors.
Inside, I found more druids to club but no sign of the book. I scoured the dank hallways, finding only cloth and alcohol for crafting healing bandages. After ten minutes of searching, I found nothing. This exemplifies Atomfall's challenging mission design, which doesn't hold your hand. While it can be frustrating, I appreciate Rebellion's commitment to a game that challenges players and encourages exploration and detective work.
With the book still elusive, I followed the map coordinates to find the keys, leading me to a poison plant monster. Rifle bullets had little effect, and I died quickly. Reloading my save, I used my Skyrim bunny-hopping skills to bypass the beast and collect the keys from a previous victim. Back at the hut, I found a perk point and ammo, but no herbalism book.
Feeling lost, I ventured deeper into the castle's bowels, where the druids conducted their rituals. I killed the High Priestess and her lackeys, found an SMG, a recipe for poison bombs, and an atomic battery that hinted at a new questline. Yet, the book remained unfound.
After my session ended, I learned the book was in the castle, on a table I had overlooked. Before this revelation, I believed the book was a ruse, leading me to confront Mother Jago again. In my confusion and descent into violence, I killed her, finding a recipe to combat the poison swamp monster on her body. This was the valuable information she had promised in exchange for the book.
Atomfall's runtime is substantial, with developers estimating a minimum of four to five hours to finish the story, and most players taking around 25 hours. The game's varied experiences were evident when another demo player encountered a crashed helicopter and explored a region with killer robots and mutants, showcasing the game's depth and secrets.
While some objectives might be too obscure for some players, Atomfall rewards those who engage with its challenging quest design. The blurred lines between side and main objectives add peril to every action, encouraging players to craft their own narratives and uncover their own explanations for the events in the irradiated English countryside. Despite killing Mother Jago, I'll see the story's end, though it may differ significantly from others' experiences.
With my hands bloodied from the herbalist's undeserved demise and the chaos I left behind, I embraced full-British mode: cricket bat in hand, I headed to the pub to wait for this all to blow over.
