At first glance, you might mistake Atomfall for a game from the Fallout series, perhaps even envisioning it as a post-apocalyptic adventure set in England rather than America. Atomfall is a first-person, post-nuclear game with an alternative history design, much like the iconic Fallout series. However, Ryan Greene, the art director at developer Rebellion, acknowledges the comparisons but emphasizes that Atomfall is a unique experience.
Greene told IGN, "Once you play the game, you realize it's not Fallout, but yes, we knew [the comparisons would come]." Rebellion's owner, Jason Kingsley, is a big Fallout fan, which naturally led to some parallels, especially in the theme of survival in a post-apocalyptic world. Greene appreciates the comparison, noting, "And those guys are great at what they do. And that's cool."
Despite the initial similarities, Atomfall diverges significantly from Fallout. As IGN reported last August, Atomfall offers a unique experience that goes beyond simply being a British take on the Fallout formula. Greene warns that the Fallout comparison can be "misleading," stating, "Once you play it for a bit, you're like, oh, this is its own thing for sure." Rebellion, the independent British studio known for the Sniper Elite franchise, has crafted an ambitious game, though not on the scale of Elder Scrolls or Fallout. Greene humbly acknowledges the comparison, saying, "The reality is, here’s this very successful franchise and we're version 1.0. To be compared to those guys… thank you very much… Yes, we appreciate it because that’s a skillful team that's making that stuff."
Atomfall Screenshots
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An average playthrough of Atomfall is estimated at around 25 hours, though completionists can extend their experience significantly. For a detailed look at gameplay, check out IGN's recent hands-on preview, where Simon Cardy explored a more violent approach, killing everyone during his playthrough. Greene confirmed that players have the freedom to "kill anyone or everyone if you choose." This approach leads to multiple endings, with some paths closing if you kill characters you were meant to work with, but alternative routes remain open to complete the game and achieve a result.
AnswerSee ResultsAtomfall doesn't follow the traditional RPG structure of main and side quests. Instead, Greene describes it as "a spider web of connected story." This means that even if you cut off one narrative thread, you can usually find another that leads you back to the central mystery. Interestingly, players can also choose a non-violent path through the game. Greene himself played for about nine hours, roughly halfway through at a fast pace, without killing anyone, and believes it's possible to complete the game without any violence, stating, "I'm fairly certain you can do it and there's no gating of having to kill anyone ever."
