With the Deluxe Edition of Atomfall launching today, and the regular game releasing with Xbox Game Pass this Thursday, March 27, I thought it would be an opportune moment to give you a few choice tips for how to survive life inside the Quarantine Zone.

For those of you new to the game, Atomfall is an action-survival mystery set in the UK. The story takes place five years after the real-life events of the 1957 Windscale Disaster in the North of England. In the world of Atomfall, a quarantine zone has been established around the Windscale Atom Plant and no one has been allowed in or out for five years. Life and society have changed and adapted under these trying circumstances, and gangs of strange folk now wander the countryside.

You wake up in a bunker with no idea who you are or how you got there. Given the circumstances, you have little choice but to set out on a journey to discover what really happened at Windscale and maybe try to find out who you are in the process.

The world of Atomfall is essentially a large sandbox where you are free to explore and investigate at your own pace and in your own style. The way you approach every encounter and each scenario is completely up to you, but here are a few bits of advice to get you started.

1) Pick your Playstyle

Before you start the actual game, you‘ll be prompted to set your playstyle. There are five pre-sets to cater for different approaches, as well as the option to customise this further should you wish. They adjust the challenge of combat, survival and exploration in the game.

• Sightseer – a low-pressure mode for those who want to enjoy the narrative and exploration of Atomfall.
• Investigator – for players who enjoy unguided exploration but prefer lighter survival and combat.
• Brawler – you enjoy combat but prefer lighter survival and guided exploration.
• Survivor – the classic Atomfall experience. A balance between combat and survival.
• Veteran – harsh combat and consequences, a gritty battle for survival.

Survivor offers the recommended Atomfall experience but pick whichever best suits you and the way you want to play. And don’t worry, if you get into the game, and feel you’ve made a mistake, these settings can be adjusted at any time in the Options menu.

2) Following Leads

Atomfall doesn’t have a traditional quest or mission system. Instead, we have Leads – snippets of information that you will uncover as you explore the world. There are numerous ways you can discover Leads, such as through conversations, tape recordings or by finding letters and items as you investigate the areas in the game. Discovering a new Lead will help you piece together the puzzle of what happened inside the Quarantine Zone, but how you use that information is up to you. 

In Survivor difficulty, the game does not add waypoints to your map or compass by default, but you can manually place markers on the map, which will then be shown on the in-game compass during play. If you do prefer a more guided experience, you can also adjust the Exploration settings in the Options menu.

3) Where to Start…

So, where is a good place to gather some Leads at the start of the game? When you leave the bunker, you are greeted by the lush open countryside of Slatten Dale. Directly in front of you is a ringing phone box that is just begging to be answered.

Head down the hill to the left and you’ll come across Nat. He’s a talkative fellow and – provided you don’t offend him – might be convinced to give you directions to find the nearby Molly, a trader who happens to indulge in lots of juicy gossip. Once you’ve have had a chat with Molly and maybe done a deal or two, why not visit the nearby village of Wyndham, where there is plenty to explore? We heartily recommend taking in the sights. Maybe visit the church or frequent the village shops, bakery and, of course, the village pub, to discover some Leads.

Wyndham is under the control of Protocol – a military force who was sent in when quarantine was put into effect to keep the peace. You can find their leader, Captain Sims at the band stand in the centre of the village, where he regularly harangues the populace.

4) Pick your Fights

As you explore the various areas in the game you will encounter all sorts of colourful characters and gangs, some friendly, some less so. Remember that, when confronted, force is not always the best course of action – many folks you’ll meet are just trying to make their way, same as you. Knowing when to back down and head for safety can be a great survival tool.

Before charging into any fight, our suggestion is “observe, plan, execute.” Think about who you’re fighting. Are they armed and, if so, with what? Can you take them out silently or should you just slip past and hope they don’t notice you? Any course of action is open to you. It is, in fact, entirely possible to complete the game without killing anyone (although it is extremely challenging).

5) Listen Carefully

You will meet a host of weird and wonderful folk as you explore Atomfall. Some of these will want to trade but remember that money is useless in the Quarantine Zone, so bartering will be key. Others may have Leads that could help you understand what really happened at the Windscale Atom Plant. Some may have both. Others will simply push their own selfish agendas.

You need to listen carefully and give real thought to the way you reply in order to gain an understanding of who you want to trust and who you don’t. Some characters will play you off against another and may even want you to kill for them. Choosing the path you take, which Leads to follow, and who to trust will ultimately determine the end of the game, so choose wisely!

6) Search and Scavenge Whenever You Can

Resources are scarce in the Quarantine Zone. Guns and ammunition are particularly hard to come by, so waste them at your peril. Take every opportunity you can to search areas for resources – be that food, weapons or other items.

As you explore you will also uncover Manuals that teach you new skills – and unlock them by finding Training Stimulants. You can then choose which skills will be most beneficial to you and your playstyle.

You will also acquire the ability to craft various resource and tonics that will help you fight, survive and heal. There is limited space in your backpack, so make sure to craft what you need as you go in order to have the best weapons and tools at your disposal.

You can also make use of pneumatic dispatch tubes that you find in various places around the game world, a still-functioning relic of the military and science facilities. These are extremely useful for storing items that you don’t immediately need access to. For example, you might find a great shotgun but have no bullets – so you can choose to store it and then grab it back once you have enough shells to make the best use of it.

Hopefully that little lot should give a little bit of a head start in the world of Atomfall. I hope you enjoy playing the game as much as we have enjoyed building such a unique and mysterious experience.

See you in the Quarantine Zone!

Atomfall Deluxe Edition

Rebellion

☆☆☆☆☆

★★★★★

$79.99

Pre-order

Deluxe Edition includes: • The entire Atomfall game • 3 days Early Access • “Story Expansion Pack” – (*not available Day 1): • “Basic Supply Bundle” Pack • “Enhanced Supply Bundle” Pack A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England. Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies. From Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall will challenge you to solve the dark mystery of what really happened. Player Driven Mystery: Unravel a tapestry of interwoven narratives through exploration, conversation, investigation, and combat, where every choice you make has consequences. Explore this Green and Unpleasant Land: The picturesque British countryside, with rolling green hills, lush valleys, and rural villages belie the dangers that await you. Search, Scavage, Survive: You’ll need to scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and items, and fight desperately to make it out alive!

Atomfall

Rebellion

☆☆☆☆☆ 2

★★★★★

$59.99

Pre-order

Pre-order the Atomfall Standard Edition to receive: • “Basic Supply Bundle” – Supplies are scarce in the quarantine zone. Improve your chances for survival with additional items to find, including an exclusive melee weapon to help you in those brutal close-quarters engagements. • Exclusive Melee Weapon Variant • Additional Loot Cache • Item Recipe A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England. Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies. From Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall will challenge you to solve the dark mystery of what really happened. Player Driven Mystery: Unravel a tapestry of interwoven narratives through exploration, conversation, investigation, and combat, where every choice you make has consequences. Explore this Green and Unpleasant Land: The picturesque British countryside, with rolling green hills, lush valleys, and rural villages belie the dangers that await you. Search, Scavage, Survive: You’ll need to scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and items, and fight desperately to make it out alive!