Revisiting Atomfall’s pasty-pocalyse survival jaunt a year on, I’ve finally been seduced by its hallucinated monks and jarred brains
Atomfall, Rebellion’s post-apocalyptic survival game, receives a retrospective review one year after its initial release. The reviewer returns to reassess the game, discovering elements that have proven increasingly compelling upon further playthroughs and reflection. In the original review, the reviewer noted that the base game’s narrative concluded just as the experience was truly developing momentum, with the ending feeling disappointingly mundane compared to the buildup. However, this retrospective reveals that Atomfall has significantly grown on the reviewer. The game’s surreal and unsettling atmospheric design—characterized by elements such as hallucinated monks and jarred brains—demonstrates how the survival title incorporates psychological horror and unsettling imagery to enhance its post-apocalyptic setting. The reviewer’s shift in perspective suggests that while the game’s pacing and conclusion may have initially seemed problematic, extended engagement with Atomfall’s world and mechanics reveals a more compelling experience than first apparent. The retrospective indicates that games designed around briefer experiences can benefit from revisitation, and that Atomfall’s merits become clearer with time and additional playthroughs.