"Atomfall Massacre: One Man's Descent into Madness"

Join me on a thrilling journey through the English countryside with Atomfall, the new survival-action game from Sniper Elite developer, Rebellion. Recently, I visited a pub in North London for a pint and some hands-on playtime, leaving intrigued by Atomfall's open-ended mission design and its eerie atmosphere. I might have lost my sanity along the way, as I found myself attacking everyone in sight, including an innocent old lady, with a cricket bat. Let me delve into the reasons behind my actions.

In Atomfall, every NPC, from the lowliest grunt to the most crucial quest-giver, can meet their demise. As I started the demo, I set out to test this feature. 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 a cricket bat. This hefty piece of wood quickly became my weapon of choice, baptized in the chaos with a liberal splash of claret.

Later, I acquired a bow and arrow, which I eagerly equipped, satisfying my love for archery in games. This allowed me to engage in both long and short-range combat, giving my cricket bat a much-needed break. As I explored further, I encountered a towering wicker man, a nod to the folk horror elements that underpin Atomfall's segmented world, composed of multiple "open zones." These elements contribute to an unsettling atmosphere, enhancing the mystery of what transpired in this now-irradiated corner of England.

My contemplation of this mystery was interrupted by a group of druids, likely connected to the wicker man. They became perfect targets for my new bow. As I took them down, my mind momentarily transformed me into Robin Hood, before snapping 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 truly captured my interest 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 discovered a Bow Mastery skill manual that mitigated 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 gunplay.

Atomfall Screenshots

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With my only notable achievement being the demise of several druids, you might wonder about my overarching goal. Initially, I was as uncertain as you. My aimless exploration of the Casterfall Woods region hadn't uncovered anything significant, so I followed a quest lead to a herbalist named Mother Jago, who lived near an old mine. Along the way, I noticed hints of a larger narrative, such as a shimmering, oily swirl over a power plant, the apparent cause of Britain's post-apocalyptic state. A ringing phone box delivered a creepy warning to stay out of the woods, but it was too late for that.

The path was dotted with environmental storytelling elements, like an old boathouse rigged with an unsettling alarm system, warning trespassers with the words "get lost" painted across it. The eerie atmosphere of Atomfall, with its transition from serene forests to zones of terror, reminded me more of Stalker and its sequel than Fallout, both in tone and game design.

After another druid massacre, I looted their garden center home for herbs and met Mother Jago at her quaint allotment retreat. She resembled Angela Lansbury, but with a penchant for black magic aromatherapy. Despite exhausting all dialogue options, she provided only vague answers, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventures where you must explore every conversation for clues. 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 out across the map to retrieve it.

Atomfall's freeform design allowed me to approach the castle from any angle, and 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. The enemy AI wasn't the most reactive, but the satisfying explosion of blood and bone alerted archers further down the road. I used a nail bomb to halt their advance and closed the distance to dispatch them with my cricket bat. While the combat isn't top-tier, it adds a fun element to the main focus 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 with a note hinting at distant map coordinates for the keys. Atomfall doesn't use objective markers, instead encouraging players to study the map and set their own markers. My intuition suggested 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. After a thorough search of the dank hallways, I found only crafting materials for healing bandages. Atomfall's mission design is deliberately obtuse, challenging players to explore without hand-holding. While this can be frustrating, it aligns with Rebellion's vision of a game that encourages exploration and detective-like problem-solving.

With the book still elusive, I followed the map coordinates to a poison plant monster's den. Rifle bullets had little effect, and I quickly died. Reloading my save, I used my Skyrim bunny-hopping skills to bypass the creature and retrieve 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 underbelly, where the druids conducted their rituals. I killed the High Priestess and her followers, finding an SMG, a poison bomb recipe, and an atomic battery that hinted at a new questline. Yet, the book remained unfound.

Xbox Games Series Tier List

Xbox Games Series Tier List

After my play session, I learned the book was in the castle, on a table I had overlooked. Before this revelation, I suspected the book was a ruse, leading me to confront Mother Jago again. In my confusion and descent into violence, I killed her, hoping to find some hidden truth. Instead, I found a recipe to combat the poison swamp monster, which 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 complete the story, and most players taking around 25 hours. The game's varied experiences were evident when I spoke to another demo participant who had a completely different adventure, involving a crashed helicopter and a region filled with killer robots and mutants. Atomfall's depth and secrets suggest a rewarding experience for those who engage with its complex quest design.

While some objectives might be too obscure for some players, Atomfall rewards those who embrace its challenging quest structure. The blurred lines between side and main objectives add a sense of peril to every action, encouraging players to craft their own narrative and uncover the mysteries of the irradiated English countryside. Despite my violent detour with Mother Jago, I'm eager to see how my story unfolds, likely differing significantly from others' experiences.

With my hands bloodied from the chaos, I embraced full-British mode: cricket bat in hand, I headed back to the pub to wait for the storm to pass.