Beyond a Simple British Fallout: A Mixed Reception for Atomfall

The embargo on reviews for Atomfall by Rebellion, the creators of the Sniper Elite series, has been lifted. Critics have not given the game very high ratings, but it’s still worth checking out this “most ambitious project of the studio” at least through a subscription.

At the time of this writing, the action-adventure game holds a score of 76 on Metacritic (PS5 version) and the same score on OpenCritic, where 72% of critics recommend the title. Among the positives noted by reviewers are the high level of in-game freedom, engaging detective gameplay, potential for high replayability, beautiful landscapes, interesting characters, and a rich array of accessibility options.

Many have pointed out that Atomfall is certainly not a flat clone of Fallout — the two are quite distinct. Some even compared Rebellion‘s game design approach to that of FromSoftware. “When I emerged from the bunker in the quarantine zone and saw the lush greenery of the Lake District in the beginning of the game, my mind was not instantly reminded of Fallout, as I expected. Instead, I thought of Elden Ring,” wrote an IGN journalist. This is because players are dropped into an unfamiliar location, the identity of the character is not fully clear, and only a few scattered hints in the world guide players on where to go next.

However, the project has its drawbacks. Issues include excessive backtracking, an AI that lacks intelligence, frustrating stealth mechanics, a clumsy combat and shooting system, as well as somewhat unnecessary RPG elements. There are critiques regarding the presentation of Atomfall as well:

Liam Croft from Push Square

Below, we have compiled insights from various reviews, which provide a range of ratings.

Luke Kemp

Ben Sledge

Michael Hoglund

Fraser Brown

Tom Orry

The release of Atomfall is set for March 27 on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store), PlayStation, and Xbox, including Game Pass. Deluxe edition owners will have access to the game three days earlier. The title will feature Russian subtitles.