Intro and Gameplay
Atomfall basically snuck up on me, smacked me over the head with a cricket bat, like your do so many times in the game, and made me pay attention and ultimately appreciate this latest gem from the team at Rebellion. From the hands on play session I had several weeks ago, I knew there was something special with this game and after playing through the full version, I can definitely confirm it’s already one of the most pleasant surprises for 2025.
To be clear up front, Atomfall is all about exploration, experimentation, and taking in all the sights and sorts of the world around you. IMHO, it’s meant to be sipped like a fine wine not guzzled like a can of cheap beer. If you are looking to rush through the story and only hit the main points of the story, it’s still very good but that’s not what it’s all about. It’s a world that is begging to be explored and enjoyed. Every little detail is there for a purpose like stumbling upon a cave that’s just calling you to be explore its depths or a secret stash behind a flowing waterfall feels just right. Melee combat, gunplay and a range of explosives you can find and craft also feels stellar. Ammo is scarce and that makes the game more exciting and the stakes higher especially when taking on multiple enemies.
While taking on a single enemy is doable, my biggest mistake was taking on a group of enemies thinking I could just mow through them. That is not the case, especially on harder difficulties. Luckily, everything from exploration to combat has adjustable sliders for difficulty and I am guessing even seasoned gamers will be tweaking them.
Crafting, digging into the story and lore bits, combat, and following leads just feels good. The best news? You get to play your way, with a lot of freedom switching between light and dark in this stunning world. The rest? I will leave you to discover. The less details you have going into the game, the better. Just remember there are multiple ways to accomplish your goals and take on enemies in game. The world is truly your oyster and how you accomplish them is totally up to you. The game is crated with love and passion as I mentioned but also unapologetically British and that makes it even better.
Graphics and Sound
Something that Rebellion has always excelled at is the audiovisual portions of their games so naturally, Atomfall looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous. The best part? In an age where so many titles, especially on PC, rely on upscaling and are poorly optimized, this game runs like butter. It’s beautiful to behold but runs smoothly while barely consuming CPU and GPU resources. For example, on the review build we were running a undervolted and underclocked RTX 5090 at 4K with 120% resolution with 100 FPS locked and in most areas were weren’t even hitting 50% GPU utilization. It’s absolutely optimized beyond the industry norm and still looks amazing. Kudos to the team at Rebellion! From bright and sunny hillsides teeming with flowers, to dank and dark caves filled with ‘BUGGER OFF’ signs this game is a showpiece especially on PC. The constant switch between light and sunny to dark and dank is truly impressive.
The sound is equally impressive with cracks of clubs to an outlaws ugly mug, explosions, and gunshots ringing through the English countryside. Music is used subtly and the voice acting of an array of interesting blokes and ladies are all top notch. Overall, this is an audiovisual tour-de-force that showcases the talent behind the artists and devs of this inhouse engine.
Feedback and Conclusion
While I have gushed over Atomfall so far, there are some missteps here and there but they are minor in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes exploring you run into areas where you can’t jump up or across seemingly small areas. I ran into a few visual bugs as well but it wasn’t anything jarring or gamebreaking. Also, of the time I felt like my melee hits should of landed but came up empty and I ended up dying. Luckily the save system is forgiving levering autosaves, manual, and quick saves. Also, some of the loading during different areas takes you out of the world and immersion a bit but nothing horrible and loading times are quick on PC. Lastly, some of the enemy AI, especially involving stealth is wonky at best when you are sneaking around in broad daylight.
In the end, I can’t wait to explore more of this world. It’s so unique and satisfying in almost every department. I didn’t have time to hit all the secrets, side leads (quests), and dialogue choices but I experienced enough to easily recommend Atomfall to any gamer looking for something mysterious, unique, and a title that is crafted with love and attention to detail. I can’t wait to see where Rebellion takes this story next.
