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Atomfalleschewed a lot of my expectations when I finally played it.
I was surprised athow similar it was to immersive sims.
I was surprised byhow little it aped Fallout.
But mostly, I was surprised that the shooting felt terrible.
This is a game from Rebellion Developments, ofSniper Elitefame.
You know, the game where shooting a Nazis crown jewels is the greatest achievement.
A game about stealth and precision, sure, but fundamentally a game about shooting.
And Sniper Elites shooting has always felt great.
Atomfalls shooting is the opposite.
They take too long to reload.
Accuracy is always low.
A bullet to the chest doesnt even kill an unarmoured cultist.
Theyre loud and bring a cadre of enemies to your position whenever you pull the trigger.
And its a game with guns that doesnt want you to use them.
Atomfalls guns are clunkybecauseyoure not meant to use them often.
This is a game where care and precision are required for even a small skirmish.
you’ve got the option to prepare carefully and still use a gun.
you’re able to use a gun as a last resort.
But Atomfall is keen to show you that shooting your way through problems isnt the only solution.
Rebellion has put so much thought into its stealth gameplay that it doesnt want you to overlook that path.
It has myriad routes to any location or narrative thread so you could take any approach.
This is that immersive simness shining through.
Atomfall is hardly an Arkane game, but its amnesiac protagonist shares some DNA with Corvo Attano.
Its like giving your dog a treat when she gives you a high five.
Atomfall is training you to play the way it wants.
Why Does Atomfall Even Have Guns?
Firstly, theyre useful.
Need a killshot in a desperate moment when youre out of breath?
Unload a magazine into that pagan.
So, Rebellion made guns tricky to use effectively.
It made them clunky and loud.
I like it when games have this friction.
Im at an age where the standard Call of Duty power fantasy feels boring.
I want a game to gate fast travel from me.
I want a game todestroy the civilian populationif I dont pay attention to my companions eyes.
I want coordinates instead of map markers.
Okay fine, I wantDragons Dogma 2.
Atomfall plays its guns very cleverly.
Theyre the perfect last resort.
Theyre lethal in a one-on-one scenario, but they could also be your undoing.
Where so often guns are the easy way out, Atomfall makes them dangerous.
As dangerous to your wellbeing as they are to your enemys.
Games should be more annoying to make it be more interesting.
Atomfall shepherds you towards stealth, or at least away from guns, with deliberate care.
I wish more games were confident enough to do the same.
I thought I’d love Atomfall’s northern accents.
