Atomfall

About

Atomfall is a single player survival role playing shooter game. It was developed by Rebellion and was released on June 11, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Atomfall is a single-player role-playing survival-action game set five years after a nuclear disaster in Northern England. Explore a mysterious quarantine zone filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, and government secrets while scavenging, crafting, and fighting to survive. Featuring an intriguing story, rich atmosphere, humor, and emotional depth, every choice you make shapes the unfolding mystery.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,791 reviews

story569 positive mentions

stability37 negative mentions

Engaging mystery story with a unique setting in 1950s Britain, encouraging exploration and discovery.
Beautiful graphics and atmosphere, creating an immersive experience in a post-apocalyptic world.
Multiple endings and choices that impact the narrative, providing replayability and depth.

Combat mechanics are clunky, with poor melee combat and inconsistent enemy AI, making encounters frustrating.
Limited inventory space and lack of fast travel lead to tedious backtracking and resource management.
The story lacks depth and resolution, leaving many questions unanswered by the end of the game.

story
1,646 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
4%
The story of "Atomfall" has garnered mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its intriguing premise and immersive world-building, while others criticize its execution and pacing. The game employs a unique "leads" system for quests, encouraging exploration and discovery without traditional markers, which some find refreshing, though others feel it leads to confusion and aimlessness. Overall, while the narrative offers depth and multiple endings, many players express disappointment with the lack of resolution and character development, suggesting that the story, though compelling, could benefit from more clarity and engagement.
- “The story offers plenty of interesting paths and choices that actually make a difference, keeping things fresh through multiple playthroughs.”
- “The game hooks you with a pretty interesting mystery to keep you invested in the story, and the gameplay is solid enough to keep you engaged for the 15 or so hours it takes to complete.”
- “Atomfall is an exploration game and almost detective style quest lines, with a story that rewards exploration, investigation, and thinking for yourself rather than being drip-fed by objectives and map markers.”
- “The story feels utterly uninspired, failing to give any weight or momentum to the hours spent exploring.”
- “I didn't feel connected to the story nor characters.”
- “The story is very serviceable for this type of game, but the characters are not the deepest.”
gameplay
645 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
62%
12%
The gameplay of Atomfall has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its simplistic mechanics and repetitive nature. While the exploration and narrative elements are praised for their depth and engagement, combat mechanics are often criticized for being clunky and lacking variety, particularly in stealth and melee interactions. Overall, the game offers a decent experience for those who prioritize story and atmosphere over complex gameplay, but it may disappoint players seeking more innovative mechanics and depth.
- “The gameplay is engaging: it’s an open world, but it feels tightly structured — no matter where you go, you’re always moving the story forward.”
- “The mechanics of the game are very well thought out.”
- “The gameplay loop is fine, piecing together the story is definitely the highlight - but I wouldn't call it amazing.”
- “Despite the promising setting, the reality is that the gameplay is a repetitive slog, held together by a narrative that offers the complexity and flavor of plain white bread.”
- “A shooter with no ammo, a melee game with no blocking, an exploration game with a bad map, a non-linear story that's begging for direction, a stealth game with no stealth mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is frustratingly shallow.”
graphics
390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
38%
4%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the beautiful visuals, immersive atmosphere, and detailed environments that effectively capture the essence of the British countryside. While some noted minor graphical glitches and a lack of cutting-edge features, the overall aesthetic and art direction were highlighted as standout elements, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience. However, a few reviews pointed out that the graphics may feel dated compared to modern standards, with some textures appearing muddy or low-quality at times.
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning on the 5090 at 4K.”
- “The game shines with a great, unique art style, beautiful landscapes, wonderful nature, ruins, and places all in nice colors and color saturation.”
- “The graphics are lovely, the story is engaging.”
- “The graphics at the highest level looked like they were at the lowest, and my computer runs games really well at high graphics.”
- “Unfortunately, the graphics look so early 2000s for me even on ultra settings, and therefore I returned it before 30 minutes of gameplay.”
- “I found the graphics lacking, especially with the background and scenery; it started looking muddled and not easy on the eyes.”
atmosphere
158 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
35%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and evocative qualities, effectively capturing a post-apocalyptic vibe through detailed visuals, sound design, and environmental storytelling. Players appreciate the unique settings, particularly the British countryside, which adds a layer of charm and eeriness, making exploration engaging and rewarding. While some critiques mention gameplay mechanics and depth, the overall consensus highlights the game's strong atmospheric presence as a standout feature.
- “From the meticulously crafted character models to the stunning, evocative scenery, the artistic direction is truly a masterclass in post-apocalyptic atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is thick with tension, mystery, and beauty — a rare combination that keeps you completely hooked.”
- “Atomfall is a gripping and immersive experience that pulls you into its world with rich storytelling and atmospheric depth.”
- “It’s a decent intro to the post-apocalyptic survival/shooter genre with light RPG elements, but it lacks the depth, atmosphere, and mechanical tightness of the games it’s clearly inspired by.”
- “The old comics and posters you find feel authentic, but the extremely dated character models, forgettable soundtrack, and flat lighting take away from any atmosphere this game could have.”
- “As a whole, Atomfall isn't a bad game, but the balance between underdeveloped gameplay and strong atmosphere still feels off.”
optimization
129 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
36%
9%
Overall, the game's optimization has received positive feedback, with many players reporting smooth performance and high frame rates, even on older hardware. While some users experienced occasional stuttering or performance dips in specific areas, the majority found the game to be well-optimized, visually appealing, and largely free of bugs or crashes. The use of a proprietary engine has been praised for delivering a polished experience, making it a refreshing release in terms of technical performance.
- “I went in curious, and it absolutely delivered: immersive world, great story, solid pacing, and — most importantly — excellent optimization.”
- “The game runs smoothly with no major issues, and the graphics are nice — but honestly, nothing groundbreaking for 2025 standards.”
- “This game is very well optimized and has very few issues with it running on my 4070 super.”
- “But there were times I found my game stuttering, going from a smooth 60 fps to something noticeably sub-30, mainly when I'd climb up to higher points and look out over the landscape.”
- “Never had a game crash with 'GPU device lost', like, please work on optimization.”
- “Technically the game is a mixed bag; it runs reasonably well but I had to turn certain distance-related settings down in order to stop the game from stuttering (even though the framerate was above 75, it felt like 25).”
stability
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
5%
57%
Overall, the game's stability has received mixed feedback from players. While many report a smooth experience with minimal glitches and crashes, some have encountered significant bugs, particularly with AI behavior and combat mechanics. The game appears to run well on various hardware, including handheld devices, but issues like audio discrepancies and occasional graphical glitches have been noted.
- “If you like games that really allow making choices and that those choices impact how the story unfolds in a beautifully crafted world that runs smoothly and bug-free, Atomfall is your game.”
- “Quite simply, Atomfall runs great and I never had a single crash during 50 hours of unlocking all six endings.”
- “It runs great on everything including Steam Deck on high with 50-60 fps most of the time, on my laptop with a mobile 4080 it runs smooth as silk, and on my desktop with 7900 XTX it is like a dream.”
- “Game looks great but freezes and crashes continually.”
- “Mouse movement glitches and jumps around like crazy, making the game completely unplayable.”
- “Endless spawns and terrain glitches make it feel like the game is working against you, not with you.”
replayability
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
71%
7%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the branching narrative paths and multiple endings that encourage different playthroughs. However, some reviewers noted that the lack of character customization and similar outcomes for various endings diminish the overall replay value. While there are opportunities for varied experiences through different choices, the game may feel limited after the initial playthrough for some players.
- “The fact that it adds new endings to the main story is a great bonus that adds significant replayability.”
- “The story is very open-ended, letting you pretty much take any path you want, with many endings to complement it too. You can do anything from killing everyone to talking to everyone, to rushing it and doing the bare minimum, and considering everything in this game can be approached from an endless combination of the order you play stuff in, it makes the game replayable and fresh.”
- “It keeps things feeling fresh and encourages replayability to follow other paths or try other builds, and feels like a sign of confidence in what content exists.”
- “Was a decent game; however, the ending was seriously underwhelming. Replay value is, in my opinion, not there. 22 hours to beat full quest completions (save alternate endings).”
- “Ultimately, despite the lack of replayability, it's about a 20-hour game, though you can stretch it further depending on how much of a completionist you are.”
- “After twenty hours, the game becomes boring once you discover most of the content and learn about everything. There's not much replay value to this game, and it's nowhere near Fallout in terms of quality.”
grinding
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
2%
92%
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game can be quite tedious, with many players expressing frustration over repetitive tasks, lack of fast travel, and cumbersome inventory management. While some appreciate the absence of traditional grinding mechanics, others find the overall experience becomes monotonous and unrewarding, particularly due to backtracking and respawning enemies. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable elements but is often marred by tedious gameplay loops that detract from the experience.
- “There's no grinding or nonsense in order to use a weapon and have it feel good.”
- “No, the game doesn't hold your hand nor is it overwhelming. There's no tedious micromanagement, no time limits, no forced gear progression, and no deep, meaningful, morally righteous storyline. It's just a nice, relaxed game that you can play how you want.”
- “It depends on how much you like grinding.”
- “Overall, a weak and relatively uninteresting plot that mostly involves chasing around a small tedious landscape (although nicely rendered) trying to find clues to solve poorly understood objectives that are supposedly interconnected in some poorly understood fashion.”
- “The story for this game seems really fascinating, but actually getting to it is astoundingly tedious.”
- “But the game gets tedious quickly and the combat is very dull.”
music
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
71%
7%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its lack of presence and impact, which detracts from the overall atmosphere and emotional engagement. While some appreciate the ambient sound design and occasional atmospheric tracks, others criticize the soundtrack as forgettable or poorly executed, suggesting that a more dynamic and varied score could have significantly enhanced the gameplay experience. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the music serves its purpose, it falls short of elevating the game's narrative and emotional depth.
- “Great looking game, with 'spot on' use of colour and a nice line in atmospheric music.”
- “The environments, the music, and the color scheme remind me a lot of Metro, and it all does a great job of building tension and suspense as you play.”
- “The soundtrack is subtle but shines in moments of tension, heightening the danger.”
- “Lack of music – while the ambient sound design is strong, a more dynamic soundtrack could’ve added emotional punch and helped pace the quieter moments.”
- “For such a game to be so visually polished to be let down by music that sounds like it's been made on a Casio keyboard is unforgivable.”
- “The old comics and posters you find feel authentic, but the extremely dated character models, forgettable soundtrack, and flat lighting take away from any atmosphere this game could have.”
humor
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dry British wit and absurdity, reminiscent of 1950s British culture, though some reviewers feel it lacks the charm and quirkiness of classic titles like Fallout. Players appreciate the comedic elements found in character interactions and gameplay mechanics, such as the hilariously inept AI and amusing dialogue, which contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere despite some frustrating encounters. Overall, while the humor is hit-or-miss for some, it adds a unique flavor to the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate British humor.
- “Being considered invisible when crouching in waist-high grass is always funny.”
- “Atomfall is packed with mystery and that distinctively dry British humor that gently nudges you forward.”
- “I did notice several bugs throughout gameplay such as: NPCs getting stuck in vault doors inside the interchange, simply standing around when they are looking right at you (which is hilarious and I don't mind and makes head-shots easier, lol) or even when they hear me literally shotgun blasting somebody in the chest or blow somebody's brains out they go 'must be the wind'.”
emotional
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players found the story compelling and layered with emotional moments, others felt a lack of investment in NPCs and a need for a more dynamic soundtrack to enhance emotional engagement. Many reviewers noted that the game focused more on situational experiences rather than deep emotional or moral stakes, leaving some players wanting more impactful moments and surprises. Overall, while the game has strong voice acting and immersive sound design, it may not resonate emotionally with all players.
- “Its story-driven adventure is compelling and packed with emotional moments, keeping the player invested throughout.”
- “Story – mysterious, layered, and surprisingly emotional.”
- “This game reminds me of Fallout 3 but with better graphics, a more filled and emotional world, and amazing sounds and lighting.”
monetization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
13%
67%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and the focus on pure gameplay, while others express concerns about the game's initial presentation suggesting a cash-grab mentality. Although there are no microtransactions, players fear that future updates may introduce them, alongside potential loot boxes and expansions. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing break from typical monetization practices, but skepticism remains regarding its long-term direction.
- “No microtransactions.”
- “Feels great to play a game that doesn't have microtransactions.”
- “There are no quest markers, no complex RPG elements, or microtransactions, just pure exploration, challenging survival, and hard-hitting combat.”
- “Instead of diving into the post-apocalypse, the screen presented a launcher prominently featuring 'play' and 'merch.' That initial fear that the game might be more concerned with monetization than quality quickly materialized into a genuine sense of a beautifully rendered cash grab.”
- “And even if the game does do well, it doesn't take long for it to become a platform for microtransactions, loot boxes, AI slop, and countless expansion packs sold at full game retail prices.”
- “It feels like it was designed by committee and to hit all the right buzzwords, but then nobody cared about it at all and it limped out the door with just the bare minimum to make it not actually be lying in the advertisements.”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
Overall, reviews indicate that character development in the game is lacking, with many players expressing disappointment in the shallow interactions and poorly developed NPCs. While some found the character interactions enjoyable, the consensus leans towards a desire for deeper character arcs, more engaging dialogue, and meaningful side quests to enhance the overall experience. The absence of character generation and significant development detracts from the game's potential, particularly for those seeking a rich narrative in an open-world RPG.
- “For me, the best games bring you into a world that's believable and have enough character development and intrigue so that you want to keep playing - to find out more about what's going on and why.”
- “I did find the character development and interactions good, and keyboard and mouse settings good.”
- “I would like to see better character development, more amusing dialogue, better plot development, and more story-related side quests.”
- “All of the NPCs lack character development and are a-holes 80% of the time when you speak to them.”
- “There is no character generation and no real character development.”
- “Bottom line: if you're looking for an open-world RPG with exploration and real character development, this isn't it.”