Atomfall Developers Welcome Fallout Similarities, 25-Hour Game

At first glance, Atomfall might seem like a Fallout-inspired game – perhaps even a genuine Fallout entry set in a post-nuclear England rather than America. With its first-person perspective, nuclear aftermath setting (hence the name Atomfall), and alternate-history aesthetic, it clearly evokes the iconic Fallout series.

Ryan Greene, Art Director at developer Rebellion, fully acknowledges the Fallout comparisons. In fact, the team anticipated such parallels as soon as the game was announced.

"Once you actually play the game, you realize it's not Fallout – but yes, we knew it would be compared," Greene told IGN.

"One of our owners, Jason Kingsley, is a huge Fallout fan, so it was inevitable that any post-apocalyptic survival setting would draw those associations. They’re masters at what they do, and we respect that."

But Atomfall is actually quite different from Fallout. IGN highlighted this distinction last August, noting that the game offers something far more unique than just a British take on Fallout.

In fact, Greene cautioned that the Fallout comparison can be "misleading."

"Once you spend a little time with it, you’ll see it really stands on its own," Greene noted. He also pointed out that Rebellion isn’t Microsoft-owned Bethesda. As the independent UK studio behind the Sniper Elite series, Rebellion has crafted an ambitious title by its own standards – though it’s not on the scale of a sprawling Elder Scrolls or Fallout experience.

"The reality is, we're the new entry in this space, while they’re an established franchise," Greene continued. "Being compared to them is flattering – we appreciate it, because they’re a highly skilled team."

Atomfall screenshots

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According to Greene, an average playthrough of Atomfall lasts "around 25 hours," though completionists can easily spend much longer exploring everything.

To get a feel for the gameplay, check out IGN’s recent hands-on preview, where Simon Cardy took an extreme route and eliminated everyone he encountered.

It turns out the game is designed to handle such an approach – you can kill anyone, or everyone, if you choose. "That’s perfectly fine," Greene confirmed. "We’ve built multiple endings. Some paths may close if you eliminate key characters, but you’ll always discover alternative routes to complete the story."

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Atomfall doesn’t follow the traditional RPG structure of main and side quests. Instead, Greene described it as "a web of interconnected stories."

"Even if you cut off one thread, you can usually pick up another that guides you back to the central mystery."

On the flip side, you can complete the game without taking a single life. Greene is "fairly certain" a pacifist run is possible. "I’ve played about nine hours – roughly halfway through at a brisk development pace – without killing anyone," he shared. "I believe it's entirely feasible, and there are no forced encounters that require lethal action."