In just a few days, the highly anticipated Atomfall is finally hitting the market. I was lucky enough to get my hands on an early copy and am excited to share my experiences with you. Let me say this right up front: Atomfall is so much more than just Fallout set in England.
First Impressions
Ever since I got my first gaming PC, Fallout has been my absolute favorite series. So when I first heard about Atomfall, I was immediately intrigued. Still, from the start, I knew I shouldn’t just dismiss it as a “British Fallout.” Once I began testing the game, I tried to keep an open mind—and that was definitely the right move. Yes, the comparisons to Fallout are almost unavoidable, but I want to judge Atomfall on its own merits. And trust me, it’s no cheap clone or direct competitor.
Story: A New Take on a Real-Life Event
The narrative in Atomfall draws on true events. On October 10, 1957, the United Kingdom experienced its worst nuclear accident in history: the Windscale Fire, which raged for three days and rained radioactive fallout over the region and across Europe. Thankfully, an even greater catastrophe was prevented.
Building on the historical Windscale Fire, Atomfall spins a captivating alternate-history tale. The game places you five years after the disaster, right in the middle of a quarantine zone. This quarantined world has evolved in strange ways as it grapples with the aftermath: from druids to mutated plant life, the zone is anything but safe. Whether you manage to uncover the dark truth behind the accident is entirely up to you.
Gameplay and Difficulty
In many ways, Atomfall is a classic survival experience, but it’s also filled with unique features that set it apart. One standout aspect is the game’s high difficulty level, which often left me sweating through more than a few close calls.
Survival is Tough
Unlike some other survival games, Atomfall doesn’t take it easy on you. Resources and ammo are scarce, while danger is plentiful. You need to keep a constant eye on your health and stamina. Early in the game, melee combat might be your only option. On the plus side, Atomfall really rewards independent exploration, giving you plenty of freedom to tackle objectives in your own way.
There are no traditional map markers, so figuring out where to go becomes a core gameplay mechanic. On your way to a goal, it’s easy to stumble into unexpected situations or hidden locations—making those “travel from A to B” moments feel fresh and exciting. Even the simpler fetch quests feel way less tedious here.
Embracing the Challenge
Because resources are so limited, Atomfall can be genuinely tough. Fights are dangerous, and gun-wielding enemies can quickly become a lethal threat. You can’t just shrug off a bullet wound and keep going in this game.
That said, you can adjust the difficulty in the settings. You can even toggle map markers back on if you prefer. I haven’t experimented much with these options yet, because as a seasoned survival gamer, I found the default challenge level to be just right: never too easy, never too frustrating—overall, a great balance.
Visuals and World Design
If there’s one area where Atomfall truly shines, it’s the visuals. The game looks fantastic—not in a hyper-realistic way, but with an art style that perfectly suits its content. The world itself is especially impressive, and even the interior environments are nothing to overlook.
Take a stroll across a bridge, for example, and you’ll see the wreckage of the ruined reactor looming in the distance. Even in the small slice of the map I explored, Atomfall delivered several breathtaking moments. When a game makes you want to stop just to take it all in, that’s usually a very good sign.
Performance and Bugs
I can’t say too much about performance just yet, but during my brief playthrough, I had no significant issues. I ran into a few minor quest-design hiccups, but they’re likely to be patched before release—par for the course in a pre-release version of any game.
Early Verdict on Atomfall
All in all, Atomfall has completely won me over, and I can’t wait to play the full release. Once I’ve spent more time exploring every corner of the game, I’ll be back with a more in-depth review. For now, I’m already convinced Atomfall could very well be my personal Game of the Year—and not just because I’m a Fallout fan.
After my initial experience, I can confidently say Atomfall stands firmly on its own. It’s not trying to ride on the coattails of Fallout or S.T.A.L.K.E.R.; you can see this in the original storyline and the fresh approach to world-building, which boldly introduces elements you won’t find in other games of its genre.
If you’re ready to jump in, you can preorder Atomfall on Steam right now. The game officially launches on March 27 for about €50 (roughly $55). Trust me, if you love survival games with a twist, you don’t want to miss this one.
