I Went Mad and Killed Everyone in Atomfall

Join me on a thrilling adventure through the English countryside, a journey that encapsulates 90 minutes with Atomfall, the new survival-action game from Sniper Elite developer, Rebellion. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting a pub in North London for a pint and some hands-on playtime with Atomfall. What I discovered was an intriguing open-ended approach to mission design and an eerie tone that left me captivated. In a moment of madness, I may have taken a cricket bat to everyone I encountered, including an innocent old lady. Let me delve into why this game piqued my interest.

In Atomfall, every NPC, from the humblest grunt to the most crucial quest-giver, can meet a fatal end. As I embarked on the demo, I set myself a mission to test this design. My approach was far from graceful; within minutes of exploring the digital Cumbria, I triggered a tripwire alarm, leading to a skirmish with three alerted guards. I dispatched them using the blunt force of a cricket bat, which I humorously dubbed my "murder partner" as it became coated in blood.

Later, I acquired a bow and arrow, which I eagerly equipped, satisfying my penchant for archery in games. This allowed me to engage enemies at varying ranges, giving my cricket bat a much-needed break. As I explored further, I encountered a towering wicker man, a nod to the game's folk horror influences, which permeate the segmented world of Atomfall, divided into multiple "open zones." This eerie setting enhances the overarching mystery: what catastrophe befell this now-irradiated part of England?

My musings were interrupted by a group of druids, likely connected to the wicker man. They served as perfect targets for my new bow, and as they fell one by one, I couldn't help but think, "I'M ROBIN BLOODY HOOD." Back in the pub, still sober at 10 am, I reflected on the game's unique stamina system. Instead of a traditional bar, Atomfall uses a heart rate monitor that rises with physically demanding actions. Sprinting, for instance, can push your heart rate above 140 bpm, affecting your aiming precision. A Bow Mastery skill manual I found later offered a perk to counteract this effect, though the skill tree overall seemed straightforward yet customizable to different playstyles, such as stealth or direct combat.

Atomfall Screenshots

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My only tangible achievement so far was a trail of dead druids, leaving me to question my broader goal. My exploration of the Casterfall Woods had yet to yield significant clues, so I followed a note directing me to a herbalist named Mother Jago, near an old mine. Along the way, I noticed hints of a larger narrative: a shimmering, oily swirl over a power plant hinting at Britain's post-apocalyptic state, and a phone box that rang with a chilling warning to stay out of the woods.

The path was dotted with environmental storytelling, such as an old boathouse rigged with an alarm and the ominous "get lost" message painted across it, surrounded by skulls and bones. Atomfall's atmosphere oscillated between serene forests and zones of terror, reminiscent more of Stalker than Fallout. The game's design encouraged thorough exploration, much like classic point-and-click adventures, where every conversation might yield a clue.

After another druid massacre and a quick raid on their garden center for herbs, I met Mother Jago at her quaint allotment. Clad in a plum-colored coat and a hat adorned with an animal skull and roses, she resembled Angela Lansbury if she had turned to black magic aromatherapy. However, her responses to my questions were frustratingly vague, forcing me to exhaust every dialogue option in hopes of finding direction. Eventually, she offered valuable information in exchange for her herbalism book, which was being held in the druids' fortified castle.

Atomfall's freeform design allowed me to approach the castle from any angle, so I opted for a side attack. En route, I encountered a druid patrol near an abandoned petrol station, leading to the chaotic "Battle of the Forecourt" where I used my grenade to devastating effect. While the enemy AI wasn't particularly dynamic, the combat was satisfyingly visceral. I proceeded to the castle, where I found a locked hut with a note indicating the keys were far to the southeast. Atomfall eschews objective markers, instead encouraging players to manually mark points of interest on their maps.

Inside the castle, I dispatched more druids but found no trace of the book. After a thorough search, I decided to follow the map coordinates to retrieve the keys, which led me to a poison plant monster. Rifle bullets were ineffective, so I relied on my Skyrim-honed bunny-hopping skills to bypass it and collect the keys from a previous victim. Back at the hut, I found a perk point and ammo, but no book.

Frustrated, I delved deeper into the castle's underbelly, where druids performed their rituals. I eliminated the High Priestess and her followers, finding an SMG, a recipe for poison bombs, and an atomic battery hinting at new quests. Yet, the elusive book was still missing.

Post-demo, I learned the book was indeed in the castle, on a table I had overlooked. Believing the book to be a ruse, I returned to Mother Jago and, in my confusion, killed her. Searching her body, I found a recipe to combat the poison swamp monster, which might have been the information she intended to exchange for the book.

Atomfall's developers at Rebellion suggested that completing the story would take at least four to five hours, with most players spending around 25 hours. My fellow demo participant had an entirely different experience, encountering a crashed helicopter and battling killer robots and mutants. Atomfall promises varied gameplay, with its obtuse quest design rewarding those who fully engage with its mysteries. The blurred lines between side and main objectives create a sense of peril, encouraging players to craft their own narratives in this irradiated English countryside.

With my hands stained from the unfortunate demise of Mother Jago and the path of destruction I left behind, I decided to embrace full-British mode: take my cricket bat, head to the pub, and wait for this all to blow over.