11 Atomfall Tips We Wish We Knew Before We Started Playing

Atomfall isn’t your ordinary survival game. Sure, it’s set in a post-apocalyptic environment filled with mutants, giant robots, and rival factions fighting over the few areas deemed “safe.” It even has a protagonist suffering from amnesia. But besides some genre specific features--resource management, skill trees, a branching narrative--Atomfall tries to chart its own path by removing or altering a few key elements. The result is a challenging, yet rewarding gaming experience.

In order to help mitigate some of the more challenging (and potentially frustrating) aspects of the game, we’ve put together a list of things players should know before pressing start. That includes some combat tips, a breakdown of Atomfall’s unique leveling system, an explanation of its accessibility options, and more.

One of the ways Atomfall differs from the Fallouts of the world is by its reluctance to signpost objectives. Thanks to its Leads system, where players are given clues about notable locations, characters, and more,there’s very little in terms of guided exploration. Instead, the map is filled in either by stumbling into a key area or by gathering enough leads to point you in a given direction; think of an NPC marking a general location/sharing longitude and latitude lines via a note and you’ll get the idea. And when it comes to following your compass, you’ll have to tag a location on your map before getting an indicator to direct your path.

That said, Atomfall does have several difficulty options that change the amount of help you’re given during play. Each of them can be tweaked further by alerting specific attributes; you can turn on waypoint markers for tracked leads while keeping the rest of the standard difficulty settings the same. And if a certain setting isn’t to your liking, you can change it back at any time.

Atomfall also allows you to change several accessibility settings. Text scaling is certainly a boon for those of us who like to play with subtitles on. Having the ability to scale aim based on FOV is also great. There's also automatic traversal/shooting/etc. toggle, different settings for interaction cues, color changes for various alerts; while Atomfall doesn’t have every option imaginable, it does have a lot for you to work with.

The combat in Atomfall can be brutal early on. One-on-one is doable. Even two on one is survivable. Any more than that and you’re going to have a tough time. Being stealthy is the way to go until you’ve found good weapons or at least a solid grasp on the game’s melee combat. Even then, it’ll be in your best interest to avoid most fights considering you don’t gain any experience points for beating foes.

Atomfall doesn’t use typical RPG elements for leveling. There is no XP bar to fill by completing objectives. And while you can loot consumables, crafting materials, key items (like keys) and weapons from enemies, there are no stat-based gear to collect. This means that surviving a tough fight won’t necessarily make you stronger. At least, not in the way we’d normally expect. Again, avoid needless fights.

You won’t always be able to avoid a fight. That said, it is possible to set yourself up for a slightly easier time by being tactical. Toss a grenade to take out bunched up enemies. Lure a few into a well-placed trap. Use the fact that the game allows for friendly fire and make them shoot one another. Or, when all else fails, bluff…

In Atomfall, it’s possible to scare an enemy by aiming a ranged weapon at them even when you don’t have ammo. If they don’t have a gun of their own and you haven’t killed any of their companions, you might get them to put their hands up and/or retreat. This tactic doesn’t always work of course. Still, the worst-case scenario (beyond them blindly charging you) is a few seconds to rethink your strategy while your enemies backpedal.

One of the best weapons in Atomfall is the bow and arrow combo. Not only is it silent, it’s extremely deadly and not just from headshots. With the shotgun, I was able to down one of the game's tougher enemy types with 2-3 shots depending on their distance from me and where I shot them. With a bow, I was able to drop them with two shots regardless of where I hit them.

Once you've found a bow, which are abundant in the Skethermoor region, snag the Bow Expert book from Slatten Dale trader Molly Jowett should she have it in stock--trader inventory rotates often--and you’ll unlock powerful skills, making the bow an even better option in the field.

Be careful when returning to places after clearing them of enemies. They always respawn, making traversal between areas tough. This even happens when saving and loading into locations. After clearing an underground bunker of bandits, I saved and exited the game to grab lunch. When I loaded my save, I was met with the same enemies, despite seeing their bodies on the floor; they were actively stepping over their own corpses as they patrolled the halls.

Perhaps this example isn't intentional and it'll be patched out, but even if so, revisiting regions is sure to refresh the bad guys, too.

Though Atomfall doesn’t have an XP bar, it does have ways for you to level up. You can unlock skills, for instance, using Training Stimulants. These items can be found within the environment, in B.A.R.D. supply cases, and as rewards for completing leads. Collect enough and you’ll be able to unlock a skill, changing the way you approach a given problem.

New skills can be learned (before being unlocked with stimulants) via training manuals. Unlike the stimulants, the manuals can seemingly only be bought from traders or given as rewards at the end of major leads. We’d recommend getting Thick Skin to stave off violent beatings, followed by some stealth-based skills, the latter of which can be learned via a book bough from the Slatten Dale trader Molly Jowett.

Ok, just hear us out. We’re not saying that you should kill NPCs. Especially if you’re not looking to be viewed as another morally bankrupt individual. That said, it is possible to kill every NPC you meet along your journey. Need that shiny battery from a shop keeper but don’t have enough stuff to trade for it? You could just kill them and take it.

Now, doing that might mean you lose out on a few leads and future shop items. And if you’re seen by a guard, things will go south quickly. But because so many leads intersect, it’s possible that you’ll just pick it up from a different character with slight variations based on your choice. Basically, it wouldn’t be the end of your game if you went rogue on a trader. We’d recommend making a new save file though, just in case.

This might seem like a no brainer, but you should save often in Atomfall. The game doesn’t always save during key moments. Its auto saves are on a timer (the default being three minutes) and it also saves whenever you enter an area that prompts a loading screen. But if you find a needed item, solve a lead, or kill a powerful enemy, the game might not save. There were a few times where our game crashed right after completing an objective, forcing us to redo a tricky scenario.

Speaking of crashes, it seems that no post-apocalyptic game is complete without a few bugs. The same goes for Atomfall. Thankfully, Rebellion is aware of the most glaring issues, so there’s a good chance that they’ll be addressed by the time you get your hands on the game. There are a few worth noting though, as some might still pop up on occasion. One was a sound issue that caused the game to go silent. You’ll be able to hear people speaking and maybe walking but nothing else. The fix is easy. Save your game, completely close down Atomfall, and load back in.

Another has to do with Molotov cocktails. Using them on one or two enemies is fine. Tossing one in a group of four or more caused the Xbox Series X version of the game to crash. We’d recommend holding off on using this item against large groups until this issue is fixed--especially, if you haven’t saved in a while.

Like most games of this ilk, there are consumable items littered throughout Atomfall’s varied environments. None of them have as many health-based goodies as Wyndham Village though. There are cakes, assorted bread, and vegetables just waiting to be eaten. There are even pots of tea for weary travelers.

The tea pots are just sitting around the village, in front of shops, in people’s homes--you name it. And it’s free. Save those crafting materials and enjoy a spot of tea for a decent health boost. You can only drink from a tea pot once. Still, who wouldn’t enjoy a brief moment of relaxation before following up on a challenging lead?

If you want to get more out of Rebellion's new survival game, use our guide on locating all Atomfall gnomes.