I wanted to love Atomfall — why it's a good game that could have been great

I latched onto Atomfall at an early stage. As a proud resident of Northern England, when I learned the survival-action game was set in the Lake District (a national park in Northwest England) it instantly had my attention. That Atomfall also looked pretty decent was a bonus.

Having now dived into Atomfall’s very British post-apocalypse for myself, I feel conflicted. There are more than a few things about this Rebellion-developed game I enjoy, from its unique setting to its very clever quest system. On the other hand, key pillars like the combat and the crafting feel routine and do little to spark excitement.

Players looking for an experience that won’t hold their hand will find a lot to like about Atomfall, but you’ll have to be prepared to excuse some less-polished components. Read my full Atomfall review down below for why I think it’s worth playing but with some caveats…

Atomfall: The Basics

• What is it? Atomfall is a first-person survival action game that sees you exploring an alternative history Britain in the wake of the Windscale nuclear disaster.
• Who is it for? Atomfall is best-suited to players looking for a freeform experience. Map markers are sparse, and exploration is heavily encouraged. Players wanting heavy guidance should skip.
• What's the price? Atomfall Standard Edition costs $59. There's also a Deluxe Edition for $79 that includes access to a future story expansion.
• What other games has the developer made? Rebellion are the development team behind Atomfall. The Oxford-based team also created the Sniper Elite series and it's Zombie Army spin-off.
• What games is this similar to? While Fallout has been a frequent comparison point due to Atomfall's post-apocalyptic setting and retro '60s trappings, it's more akin to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. in design.

Enter The Quarantine Zone

Atomfall’s biggest USP is that it’s set in an alternate 1960s England. In this universe, the real-life Windscale nuclear disaster has irradiated the surrounding area and forced the government to lock it down, renaming it The Quarantine Zone (catchy, isn’t it?)

This Cumbria setting feels very refreshing. This is partially because it’s a very British take on a post-apocalyptic with sights like the iconic red telephone box and quaint cottages dotting the game’s five explorable zones, and also because the nuclear disaster hasn’t decimated the area.

The Lake District may be a very dangerous place to be right now but it’s still a very green location and makes for a nice change of pace compared to the many dark apocalypse settings in gaming.

Played from a first-person perspective, you begin your adventure in Atomfall awaking in an underground bunker, with no idea who are you, or how you got here. Yup, your nameless protagonist has a bad case of amnesia. This setup is decidedly less fresh, but it does make sense considering one of Atomfall’s core focuses is unraveling the world’s hidden secrets.

The world itself is also well-sized. Split into five open zones, separated by brief loading screens, you can cross each in just minutes. That might suggest the world is claustrophobic, or too small, but it’s quite appropriate. Quest objectives often have you traveling across multiple zones without fast travel, so it’s essential you can get around quickly.

Follow the Lead(er)

Unlike many modern games, Atomfall doesn’t have a traditional quest log. Instead, your missions are tracked via the excellent Leads system.

The way Leads works is pretty simple. As you explore Atomfall’s world you’ll pick up various discarded notes and letters or receive tip-offs from friendly NPCs. These morsels of information unlock new leads, which are quests and/or world objectives you can pursue as you wish.

These range from simple hints, like a note suggesting there might be a valuable weapon hidden in a nearby bunker, to more involved questlines. These include helping the leader of a paramilitary group occupying The QZ, named Captain Sims, deal with a suspicious local baker.

Atomfall doesn’t mark Leads as “main” or “secondary,” so you never know when you discover one if it’s mission-critical or not. This results in them all feeling important (at least, at first). And it’s satisfying to follow a long chain of Leads through to the end and be well rewarded.

The system is well-executed, but I would have liked more variety. Most Leads require you to trek from Point A to Point B, often finding you don’t yet have the required item to access whatever you’re looking for at your destination. Initially, I was desperate to follow every Lead, but eventually I started to skip the ones that sounded like mere busywork.

Player choice is another key element of Atomfall and some Leads can be resolved in several ways. Take, for example, the aforementioned request from Captain Sims to investigate the local baker. In that scenario, you can flip sides and assist the baker instead, or you can completely ignore the request entirely and refuse to ally with Sims.

Freedom is so deeply ingrained in Atomfall that you can kill almost every NPC you encounter. I wouldn’t recommend it, but you can do it. It’s just part of the way Atomfall makes your adventure feel wholly your own. A second playthrough is essential if you want to see it all. Heck, if you want to see everything, you’ll probably need to play several times.

Look what I just found

Atomfall’s world is practically begging to be explored. From the minute you step out of the starting area, you can head off wherever you like.

And if you want to get the most from Atomfall, and pick up the most important Leads, you certainly will want to take your time exploring just about every ramshackle house and military bunker you find.

Because there’s less guidance than in many other games (at least, on the default difficulty setting) each discovery feels potentially significant. When you discover a key point of interest it's name will pop up on the screen, and this gave me a jolt of excitement every time.

However, Atomfall doesn’t go full Elden Ring in this regard. You are still guided to a degree. Important locations are usually flagged on your map with a question mark, and easy-to-find notes often give very unsubtle clues about where to head next.

At the same time, these feel like being pointed in the right general direction rather than being given step-by-step instructions to follow.

Taking the time to explore thoroughly is also key for finding essential loot. Within less than an hour of play, I’d found all sorts of useful items, from a cricket bat to a rusty rifle. I also found improvised explosives and a training manual which allowed me to unlock upgrades in the game’s generic skill tree.

Pro tip: Search everywhere if you want the best gear.

You wanna fight?

Atomfall’s weakest area is its bland combat. Enemies range from run-of-the-mill Outlaws to more exotic foes like soil-worshipping cultists and neon-blue Ferals infected by a toxic fauna.

Pretty much all of them go down without much fight. And it’s not even just that combat is simple either. Swinging a wooden bat or a spiked club just doesn’t feel very crunchy or impactful.

You have the option of a heavy or light attack, but I never felt the need for the former, just a few quick swings and almost every enemy would go down. Enemies are tougher in high numbers, but it’s here that you can exploit the weak A.I. and just breeze through regardless.

I stumbled upon a bunker occupied by a group of 10 bandits. This should have been game over. Instead, I just perched by the entrance and picked them off one by one with headshots from my trusty pistol.

Even this wasn’t very cathartic as firearms lack the required punch to make popping headshots feel satisfying. I’m surprised how poor the shooting is considering Atomfall comes from the same development team behind the popular Sniper Elite series.

The mundane combat becomes a particular sore spot the longer you play. While exploring the world is enjoyable, and the Leads system novel, the game loses some of its luster when many questlines funnel you into combat encounters more likely to make you sleepy than quicken your heart rate.

The above is somewhat ironic considering your character’s heart rate is something you must monitor. Rebellion wisely stripped away much of the annoying elements of the survival genre (there’s no need to sleep or drink, and food just heals you). However, your heart rate rises when you perform strenuous activities like sprinting or swinging a weapon.

This idea sounds interesting on paper but its impact is surprisingly minimal. Your heart rate effectively works as a stamina bar. A high BPM stops you sprinting and your attacks are much slower (it’s also harder to aim weapons). It’s an inoffensive addition but feels a bit redundant.

Atomfall also features crafting (because what survival game doesn’t?). Out in the world, you’ll find all sorts of junk, and if you can collect enough, you can turn it into useful items like a Molotov cocktail or bandages. Much like the combat, the crafting system is functional but unremarkable. Its inclusion feels out of obligation instead of inspiration.

Atomfall: Verdict

I love Atomfall’s setting and its approach to quest progression. The abundance of player choices is also engaging, and a few key calls had me pausing to consider my options. Unfortunately, Atomfall’s action elements are decidedly less special. Fighting off bandits is a bore, and the crafting and survival systems are functional, but far from fun.

Nevertheless, I can still recommend Atomfall to anybody looking for a game that won’t just have you following oversized map markers to your next destination. Its exploration is some of the best in the genre and goes a long way to making up for its much weaker elements like the tedious combat — even if it’s not enough to fully exonerate them.