"Atomfall Massacre: I Snapped and Killed All"

Join me on a thrilling journey through the English countryside, or what I like to call a 90-minute escapade with Atomfall, the new survival-action game from Sniper Elite developer, Rebellion. Recently, I visited a North London pub to enjoy a pint and some hands-on playtime with the game, leaving me both intrigued and a bit wild. Atomfall's open-ended mission design and eerie atmosphere captivated me, though my approach quickly turned chaotic as I decided to attack everyone in sight, including an innocent old lady, with a cricket bat. Here's why.

In Atomfall, every NPC can be killed, from the lowliest grunt to the most crucial quest-giver. As I began the demo, I set out to test this feature. My method was far from subtle; within minutes of exploring the digital Cumbria, I triggered a tripwire alarm and found myself dispatching three alerted guards using a cricket bat, which I humorously dubbed my murder partner after it was drenched in blood.

Later, I acquired a bow and arrow, eagerly switching to this new weapon. With both long and short-range options now at my disposal, I let the cricket bat rest. As I continued, I spotted a towering wicker man, a nod to the game's folk horror influences that permeate this part of Atomfall's segmented world, composed of multiple "open zones." This unsettling atmosphere enhances the overarching mystery: what exactly transpired in this once peaceful, now irradiated corner of England?

My musings were interrupted by a group of druids, likely connected to the wicker man. They became the perfect targets for my bow, and as they fell, I couldn't help but feel like Robin Hood, though I quickly snapped back to reality in the London pub. It was only 10am, and I hadn't touched a drink yet.

The bow felt great to use, but what truly piqued my interest was Atomfall's innovative approach to stamina. Instead of a traditional depleting and regenerating bar, the game uses a heart rate monitor. The more physically taxing your actions, the higher your heart rate climbs. For instance, sprinting for too long could push your heart rate over 140 bpm, making it challenging to aim accurately if you need to stop and fight. I later found a Bow Mastery skill manual that mitigated the effect of a high heart rate on drawing the bowstring. Although the skill tree might not be the most complex, it offers enough flexibility to tailor your character's abilities to your preferred playstyle, whether it's stealth or direct combat.

Atomfall screenshots

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With my only notable achievement being a trail of dead druids, you might wonder about my ultimate goal. So did I. My aimless wandering through the Casterfall Woods hadn't uncovered much, so I followed the only lead I had: a note pointing to a herbalist, Mother Jago, near an old mine. Along the way, I noticed subtle hints of the broader narrative, such as a shimmering, oily swirl over a power plant—the supposed catalyst for Britain's post-apocalyptic state—and a phone box with a creepy voice warning me to stay out of the woods.

The path was dotted with environmental storytelling elements, like an old boathouse rigged with an eerie alarm system, marked with "get lost" and surrounded by skulls and bones. Atomfall's atmosphere oscillates between serene and terrifying, reminiscent of Stalker more than Fallout, with its tone and design. As I continued my rampage, I butchered more druids and looted their garden center home for herbs, eventually meeting Mother Jago at her quaint allotment retreat. She resembled Angela Lansbury if she'd delved into black magic aromatherapy. However, she offered no clarity on the mystery, giving only vague responses despite my exhaustive questioning. This felt akin to classic point-and-click adventures, where exploring every conversation is key to uncovering hints. Jago promised valuable information in exchange for her herbalism book, which was held captive at the druids' fortified castle.

Atomfall's freeform design allowed me to approach the castle from any angle. I decided on a side attack, encountering a druid patrol near an abandoned petrol station. The ensuing "Battle of the Forecourt" was initiated with my only grenade, and though the AI wasn't the most reactive, the satisfying carnage alerted archers further down the road. After dispatching them with a nail bomb and engaging in some close-quarters combat, I realized that while the combat was fun, it wasn't the main attraction. The real joy lay in uncovering the world's secrets.

Inside the castle's outer walls, I found a locked hut with a note hinting at distant map coordinates for the key. Atomfall eschews objective markers, leaving you to study your map and place your own markers. My intuition suggested the book wasn't there, so I headed to the central keep instead. Inside, I found more druids to dispatch but no sign of the book. After a thorough search, I realized Atomfall's mission design is intentionally obtuse, challenging players to explore without guidance.

Following the map coordinates, I ventured into the den of a poison plant monster, barely escaping with the keys. Back at the hut, I found only a perk point and ammo, not the herbalism book. Frustrated, I explored the castle's underbelly, killing the High Priestess and her followers, and discovered an SMG, a poison bomb recipe, and an atomic battery that hinted at a new questline. Yet, the book remained elusive.

Xbox Games Series Tier List

Xbox Games Series Tier List

After my session, I learned the book was indeed in the castle, on a table I'd overlooked. Believing the book was a ruse, I confronted Mother Jago again, only to kill her in my confusion. Searching her body, I found a recipe to combat the poison swamp monster—a piece of valuable information she'd intended to trade for the book.

Atomfall's developers at Rebellion estimate a minimum playtime of four to five hours, with most players taking around 25 hours. The game offers varied experiences, as evidenced by another player's entirely different adventure involving a crashed helicopter and a region filled with killer robots and mutants. Atomfall rewards players who delve into its complex quest design, blurring the lines between side and main objectives. Despite my violent detour with Mother Jago, I'll see the story's end, though it may differ vastly from others' experiences.

With my hands bloodied and my path of destruction behind me, I embraced full-British mode: cricket bat in hand, I headed back to the pub to wait for this all to blow over.