Developed by Rebellion Games, Atomfall is an aesthetically joyous RPG title inspired by real events.

Set against a quintessential picture postcard backdrop of The Lake District in rural Britain, Atomfall takes its inspiration from a catastrophic nuclear event in the 1950s where a fire at a nuclear site saw nuclear fallout spreading across the United Kingdom. The Windscale Fire incident was recorded (and still stands) as the worst nuclear disaster in British history.

Rebellion Games have cleverly crafted the story surrounding Atomfall a “what could have been” turn of events following the disaster.

The Beautiful World of Atomfall

The British countryside is perfectly encapsulated by Rebellion Games as they treat us to the eye-candy landscapes of ol’ Blighty. The map is awash with the green hues of fauna, dotted with idyllic British stone buildings and is host to narrow and rocky paths, drawing a charming picture of the lands of our friends from across the pond.

The world of Atomfall truly is something to behold. It’s the epitome of British charm and oozes English tropes and stereotypes (the good kind) from every pore. From the countryside delights to the English West Country, Welsh, Scottish and Irish accents, no detail was spared when crafting this aesthetically stunning environment.

The Trials and Tribulations of Surviving Atomfall

While my first impressions of Atomfall blew me away, the game was soon proven to be a little too difficult right from the very start. Atomfall creates a real sense of security with its quaint Englishness, only to quickly take it away with one fell swoop at the first enemy encounter.

Happily strolling through the pretty countryside, I allowed a sense of well-being to wash over me. The scenery was out of this world and the sounds of an English gent playing his guitar created the perfect atmosphere.

I was enjoying my pleasant stroll through this idyllic countryside scenery when I heard the voices of what sounded like a group of workers on their way back to the quarry after a hard-earned break.

Hiding in a shrubbery, I waited for them to pass, having very little clue about the combat mechanics at this point, and whether or not I was well enough equipped to tackle this band of British bruisers. However, I was still quickly seen and found myself going toe-to-toe in an outnumbered battle that I was never going to win.

Despite taking down a couple of my attackers, surrounding mobs were warned of my presence, and before long, it seemed I had half of Britain shooting at me and punching me in the face. This process was rinsed and repeated until I finally mastered the art of stealth and gave them a wide berth — before bravely running off into some nearby trees.

The learning curve was steep, and I slowly but surely ambled through collecting: weapons, makeshift explosives, materials to be craft bandages and – above all -knowledge.

It’s an unforgiving game in the early stages but slow progression does unearth the tools needed to push on through.

Confusing Leads

Another notable point is the needless difficulty of navigation. There are no handy lines to follow, or even map markers to point you in the right direction. Instead, we are merely given leads which serve as clues as to what to do next, as opposed to just telling us.

You don’t need to channel your inner Sherlock Holmes to solve them but I did find myself missing certain navigational aspects that are staple in games of this ilk.

Summary

Rebellion treats us to a picture postcard world that perfectly encapsulates rural Britain but sadly lets itself down with a lack of any real direction.

I’ve only played around four hours, so far. The game may take a turn for the better – in which case, I will update this article. However, it’s pretty clear that the game will only offer more of the same as I progress.