izigame.me

Atomfall is an amalgamation of every other first-person open-world game in the vein of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or Far Cry, seemingly offering nothing new, but it actually brings a lot of fresh ideas to the table. It blends casual elements with more hardcore features, providing numerous options to tailor every aspect of gameplay to your preferences.
One of its most brilliant innovations is how stamina is handled—not with a traditional stamina bar, but through the character's heart rate, which fluctuates based on the intensity of physical activity. It’s a genius mechanic—it doesn’t render "stamina" obsolete like in Far Cry, but it also won’t completely stop you from running or swinging your weapon. Instead, you’ll perform these actions less effectively when your heart rate is high. It also influences the steadiness of your aim and the amount of noise you make, making it integral to gameplay without ever becoming a nuisance.
Another core mechanic that sets this game apart is how you progress and achieve your goals. There are no primary or secondary objectives; instead, you gather "leads" based on information collected from the world and NPCs. These leads are categorized in the Investigation tab, offering various options for how to proceed. Atomfall features multiple ways to reach its finale, with six different endings, each delivering unique outcomes. While some might argue that these leads are simply a different way of presenting objectives, I found them far more engaging than merely following a marker on the map. They encourage you to actively read and listen to the information provided. At times, you even need to track down precise locations using latitude and longitude coordinates on your map. It's very refreshing to play a game that doesn't treat you like a simpleton.
The setting itself is incredibly refreshing—after all, how many games take place in 1960s post-nuclear Northern Britain? I absolutely love this setting; it feels cozy yet somehow haunting at the same time. While you won't encounter as many anomalies as in S.T.A.L.K.E.R., the hostile flora, fauna, and locals make for some intense encounters, especially since your character is no Rambo, at least on the recommended Survivor difficulty.
I appreciate that killing enemies doesn't grant experience, since there’s no experience or leveling system to begin with. This makes avoiding combat a viable strategy, as you won’t miss out on XP and can save valuable resources. The game does offer an good selection of skills, but you acquire them by using Training Stimulants found through exploration. This approach prioritizes exploration over combat, making both aspects feel significantly more meaningful.
Speaking of combat, it feels absolutely amazing. The guns are animated and modeled to perfection. Initially, they look a bit rough, as most of them are found in Rusty condition. However, once you acquire the Gunsmith skill, you can use materials and duplicate weapons to upgrade them to higher quality. At Pristine quality, they’re just so dang sexy. Every encounter is a rush, thanks to the punchy, realistic weapon sounds and the lifelike reactions of enemies when shot. Due to the game’s setting, you won’t come across any "advanced" weaponry—it stays true to the era, so no Reflex or ACOG sights for you.
Of course, nothing is perfect, and there’s definitely room for improvement. My biggest gripe is the oversensitive enemy AI, which makes stealth almost impossible—unless you resort to save scumming (thankfully, Atomfall supports quicksaving—yay!). Additionally, the overall visuals feel somewhat "grainy" due to the poorly implemented anti-aliasing. Unfortunately, this has always been an issue with Rebellion games on the Asura engine.
Atomfall is a bit shorter than I would have liked. My Survivor playthrough took around 26 hours, and I was very thorough in exploring, resolving all the leads, and even completing all the endings using a backup save—meaning a "regular" playthrough would be even shorter. While 26 hours isn’t necessarily short, I felt somewhat disappointed by how abruptly it ended. I wish there had been more locations to explore, and I hope the announced DLCs will make significant additions. Because of the game's pacing and exploratory nature, there aren’t many "cinematic" or scripted moments, leaving it up to the player to create those exciting situations.
Overall, I absolutely loved Atomfall—it was a breath of fresh air in the genre. While it took me some time to adjust to the game's pacing, I ultimately came to appreciate it and can’t wait for future expansions. I highly recommend Atomfall to any fan of open-world FPS games. It looks great, runs smoothly, and although a bit overpriced, I believe it will continue to grow through DLCs and, hopefully, free additional modes or smaller updates. This has definitely made me excited about the future of the Sniper Elite series.