Atomfallis a game that centers around mysteries, secrets, and enigmatic characters with varying motives.
So, as you might expect, it can be pretty difficult for a guy with amnesia, such as yourself, to carve out an existence in Cumberland, especially with all the dangerous nuclear anomalies and Druids wandering around.
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What’s worse is that the game keeps a lot of info from the player, forcing you to work things out for yourself, which can often lead to perilous mistakes and even cost you your life.
But we want to let you in on some of Atomfall’s spoiler-free secrets, ensuring you never get caught with your pants down in this British immersive sim epic.
10Your Flashlight Highlights Items
Let There Be Light
Firstly, if you’re struggling to see all the little pockets of ammo and crafting materials dotted around the place, your torch is a rather useful tool to help spot items worth looting.
You see, if you shine your torch around and cast a light on an item that you could potentially pick up, the item will shimmer, allowing you to spot it with ease.
In a game where ammo can be so scarce, and crafting is vital for survival, every little glass bottle or tin can be the difference between life and death.
So, when you’re scavenging, use a torch to ensure you leave nothing behind.
9You Can Use Pneumatic Tubes To Store Items
Send It Up The Tube
As you explore and start adding items and weapons to your inventory, you’ll soon come to find that you don’t have a lot of space in your backpack for goodies.
Initially, this will mean you’ll need to use or lose the items to make space, but you’ll eventually come across a Pneumatic Tube, and these things are game-changers.
These tubes are usually found in protocol facilities and bunkers, and they allow you to send your items up the tube, allowing you to access them later anytime you find another tube.
This is a great option if you want to store some healing items, throwables, or even additional weapons for another time when the chips are down.
The only downside is that unless you find another tube, you won’t have any access to them, but it’s a fair trade-off to have more tools in your arsenal.
8Robots Give Atomic Batteries
Power To The People
Throughout your time in Atomfall, you will need to acquire Atomic Batteries, which will be used to power up and unlock the grand area known as The Interchange.
Really, you only need four batteries to light up the whole place, but there are a wealth of different ways to get your hands on them, and way more than you need out there.
Some require you to follow leads, and don’t require any bloodshed. But if you’re an all-guns-blazing sort of player, this might be a better option.
Not only can you destroy those huge B.A.R.D. robots wandering around in protocol-controlled areas. you’re able to also get behind them when they overheat and extract their atomic battery.
It won’t win you many friends among the occupying forces, but hey, sometimes it’s a case of needs must.
7You Can Hit Grenades For Six
Turn Them Into (The) Ashes
While this one is a touch situational, there is a trophy/achievement in it for you if you’re able to manage to make this one happen.
You may have noticed that bandits and other enemies are running around the place using cricket bats as melee weapons, and by extension, you can, too.
However, what you might not know is that if you swing at just the right time as an enemy is tossing a grenade or throwable, you can catch it sweet and volley it right back at the enemy in true return-to-sender fashion.
The only tip I would offer is that if you spot them ready to throw a Molotov Cocktail, hitting it back will only end up with you stopping, dropping, and rolling. However, when you knock that grenade for six, it’s a really satisfying feeling.
6You Need Training Stims & Manuals For Skills
But… Reading Is For Nerds!
One thing that isn’t explicitly clear to the player when the game begins is that leveling up and gaining skills via the skill tree is handled a little differently thanin your typical RPGs.
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Players don’t earn XP to earn skill points; instead, the player earns skill points by collecting Training Stimulants. These are often found in B.A.R.D. crates and in Protocol facilities.
But that’s not all, as players will only be able to unlock new tiers on their skill tree if they find Training Manuals dotted around the map. So, in short, killing enemies and resolving leads alone won’t help you gather new skills.
5Your Heart Rate Affects Your Accuracy
Pulse-Raising Action
While this one will be a little more obvious to those who have played the Sniper Elite series, as this mechanic is basically like-for-likewith other Rebellion games.
However, for newbies, the heart rate system can be a bit of a weird novelty to get your head around.
This is a system where your heartbeat will rise when you are running, climbing, or swinging your melee weapon wildly, and the higher your heart rate, the less proficient you will be in combat.
Your melee swings will be slower, and you’ll swing your melee weapon much slower. So, it’s best to monitor this stat as best you can.
In true British fashion, you can consume Tea in-game to calm yourself and make your heart rate rise slower and fall quicker.
4Time Doesn’t Stop In-Menu
Dark Souls-esque
This is one that you may learn the hard way early on, so consider this a friendly warning so you don’t get killed while crafting. Much like games like Dark Souls, Atomfall decides to keep time rolling when you are navigating menus.
This means that you’ll need to frantically scramble through menus to craft a bandage, or you might zone out while managing your skill points and end up being picked off by an outlaw patrol.
So, the best thing you can do to combat this is menu when in a safe place, and try to craft the items you will need ahead of time so you don’t have to waste precious seconds tinkering.
3Clearing Camps Is Temporary
Never-Ending Danger
Unlike a lot of open-world RPGs from which this game takes inspiration, Atomfall will never stick a little ‘cleared’ symbol next to areas that you have visited.
Mainly because the game always wants to make sure there is a steady supply of enemies that can make your adventure tougher at every turn.
You might clear out an outlaw camp only to need to come back sometime later, and if you do, the place will be crawling with enemies just like it was before.
It’s good to know this, as wasting bullets and resources on unnecessary fights can make your survival adventure in Cumberland even harder than it needs to be. So, only commit to a firefight if you absolutely need to.
2You Can Explore Your Starting Bunker
Back To The Beginning
This one is a little bit underwhelming, but it’s a fun little bit of info to know nonetheless.
You’ll start in Bunker L8 at the start of the game, and after taking what little scraps are available at the start of the game, there’s little reason to return. That is until you get your hands on a Signal Redirector.
This is a little gadget that can redirect power to open doors to otherwise inaccessible areas, and you can either get one by following the Windfall lead or the Dr Garrow lead.
Then, once you have this gadget, you can head back to where your story began, where you will find a note that hints at the identity of the phonebox caller, and you’ll be able to grab a Training Stimulant.
1Trading With Merchants Usually Gives New Leads
Trade Stuff For Info
Trading with merchants can range from incredibly useful to pointless, depending on whom the trader is and what they stock.
However, even if you’re not keen on buying what they’re selling, it can be beneficial to trade something anyway, as it often loosens their lips.
When you trade something, even if it’s just a Tomato for a Potato, this endears traders to you, and they often give you some helpful info.
This might be some new information that reveals or furthers a lead. Or alternatively, they might mark a new area on your map worth exploring. So, make a trade even if you don’t feel like it, as you might get more than you bargained for.
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