Atomfall preview: a post-apocalyptic powerhouse packed with potential

It’s easy to describe Atomfall as Fallout but set in dear old Blighty but in fact, I think that would be doing the game a great injustice.

This is a completely different kettle of fish to something like Fallout: London. Yes, if you’re a fan of post-apocalyptic games like Fallout then you’re definitely going to feel right at home in Atomfall, but Atomfall features its own mystifying world packed with intriguing ideas that I barely even scratched the surface of during my short preview session and yet find myself itching to return to.

Atomfall is set in an alternative take on 1950s Yorkshire, England. Here, the picturesque English countryside is the backdrop to a nuclear disaster. Inspired by the very real Windscale fire in 1957, the game sees you awaken confused as you try to piece together the state of your surroundings, from the militarised quarantine zones to the lawless open farmlands.

You can take a look at the trailer for Atomfall below.

It’s exceptionally British, and I stress the word exceptionally. I have to say though, never does Atomfall feel stereotypical. Of course, it does use stereotypes but the British traits brought to life in the game are done so with a sense of both awareness and melodrama. You’ll see red phone boxes dotting the landscape. Tea shops will have survived the nuclear blast. Those you encounter will embody that keep calm and carry on attitude.

It’s all so … expected and yet, Atomfall feels totally unexpected. I was so entranced in its narrative and lore despite spending such a short period of time in the game. As I said, you awaken with little memory. I was dropped in a short while after the opening. A conversation with a guitar-strumming recluse prompted me to travel north.

There, I eventually found Wyndham, a key quarantine camp, but more of that later. First, I had to make my way through a hostile enemy territory. Who these fellas were or why they were causing mischief I do not know, but they were dressed like what I can only describe as football hooligans. Atomfall gave me so much to think about in such a short space of time with the way in which it depicted a devolved society.

Where did these people come from? Are they protecting something? Do they work for someone? I had so many questions, but certainly not the time to answer them. Already though, I have a feeling that Atomfall is going to excel in its environmental storytelling. Of course, there’s a strong narrative drawing you through the game but every character or little nook I stumbled across told its own little tale, whether that was through something like a simple graffiti sign or NPC dialogue.

But let’s hop back to those hostile enemies I mentioned. Atomfall is played in a first-person perspective and in my demo, I had access to a revolver and cricket bat. Of course, your fists and feet come in pretty handy too if you find yourself weaponless. Combat felt accessible and I found myself intrigued to find out more. Human enemies, in my experience, were more stubborn than I perhaps expected but that felt quite truthful I suppose. I shouldn't be tearing through them with a handful of punches after all.

It’s not just human enemies you’ll encounter. There are dungeon-type spaces too, filled with beings that I can only imagine link back to the nuclear disaster. I unfortunately didn’t get time to experience a dungeon myself but I did watch a portion of gameplay and it definitely looked like an area that ups the ante. I always appreciate it when a game doesn’t force a challenge upon you until you’re ready.

Rebellion

Eventually, I found my way to the Wyndham quarantine zone where I was, thankfully, admitted with very little issue besides a strict laying down of the ground rules. The village is, from what I can tell, one of the game’s hubs, bustling with NPCs for you to chat to and small points of interest for you to explore. After just a few conversations, I was left with leads pointing me to various corners of the map.

Where would I possibly venture off to next? Well, unfortunately I ran out of time but I can’t stop thinking about the time I did have. Atomfall is incredibly well designed, using stereotypes to create an amusing sense of absurdity that just works so very well. With an intriguing world, easy-to-learn controls and a sterling premise, I feel quite confident that Rebellion has cooked up something very special. Atomfall is one to keep an eye on.

Atomfall is set to launch on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC in March 2025.