Survive the Fall: Initial Preview Released

Long before Bethesda took the helm of the series and Walton Goggins donned ghoul make-up for his captivating role in its TV adaptation, Fallout was an isometric action RPG viewed from a bird's-eye perspective. The upcoming game, *Survive the Fall*, draws heavily on this classic style of wasteland exploration, as evident from the initial hours I've experienced. This post-apocalyptic survival tale builds directly on the original Fallout's framework, especially in its robust camp development system. With squad-based combat and scavenging at its core, *Survive the Fall* delivers a fresh experience, though the somewhat static storytelling might hinder its full personality from emerging.

I quickly grew fond of *Survive the Fall*'s squad-based system as I tackled various missions. Navigating your party of up to three survivors through the expansive national park that sets the stage for the game's opening, you can either manually rummage through abandoned chests for chemicals or chop down trees for lumber, or simply delegate these tasks to your team members. This approach not only feels more natural but also accelerates the process of scavenging through each settlement. However, the screen can get a bit cluttered with button prompts when interactive elements are closely grouped, though this was a rare occurrence.

Combat in *Survive the Fall* is also a team effort. Given the scarcity of rifle and shotgun ammunition early on, I favored stealth tactics, approaching each encounter with marauders and ghouls like a meticulous hunt akin to *Commandos: Origins*. This involved hiding in long grass, using distractions, and stealthily eliminating enemies within their vision cones. The game also features environmental hazards, such as explosive barrels and cargo pallets, which can be strategically used against foes.

Survive the Fall - Preview Screens

14 ImagesClearing out groups of cultists felt rewarding, though combat could become cumbersome once detected, especially with a controller. Aiming with the lasersight was tricky, leading me to rely more on melee attacks and dodging. Fortunately, the ability to pause and direct squadmates to focus on specific targets—similar to systems in Wasteland or Mutant Year Zero—helped manage the chaos.

After a day of battling mutants and gathering resources, *Survive the Fall* shifts to a base-building management sim at your camp. You can research documents found in the world to earn knowledge points, which you can invest in a comprehensive technology tree to unlock various crafting options, from bunk beds and kitchens to water filtration systems and armories. Resources like timber can be transformed into planks for constructing new structures like plant boxes or protective gates. Foraged herbs or meat from wolves and deer can be turned into meals, ready to be packed for your next expedition. The depth of this system suggests hours of engaging settlement development.

Exploring beyond my base, I encountered a variety of intriguing locations, from a crashed passenger plane turned enemy fortress to a farmstead overrun by Stasis-infected ghouls. While these areas were visually impressive, some regions like the Mycorrhiza swamplands suffered from performance issues, with a fluctuating framerate and occasional game-breaking bugs that required reloading saves. With *Survive the Fall*'s release approaching, there's hope that developer Angry Bulls Studio will optimize these aspects.

The game's dialogue is delivered solely through on-screen text, which can feel somewhat flat. However, characters like Blooper, who humorously dubbed the Stasis smog "fart wind," provided some light-hearted moments. While the narrative often serves to initiate fetch quests, deeper character interactions could enhance the overall experience as the story progresses.

Set to launch on PC this May, *Survive the Fall* shows significant post-apocalyptic promise. With some refinement to its controls and performance, this survival-based action RPG could prove to be a worthy addition to the genre, potentially earning its place among the classics it draws inspiration from.