Xbox Game Pass Day One Release Is Best Apocalypse Game of 2025
‘Atomfall’ takes its post-apocalypse in new and interesting directions.
Few words in the English language are as powerful as “what if?” It’s a loaded question on the edge of a butterfly effect that allows us to wrap our heads around infinite possibilities. Video games love a good “what if” because, unlike other media, games allow us to immerse ourselves and fully explore these new worlds we sought to create. And right now, one of the best open-world survival games in years is bringing a helluva “what if” to Game Pass.
Atomfall from Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite, dropped on Game Pass on March 27. Set in an alternate-history version of 1962, the game unfolds five years after an intensified version of the Windscale fire, the worst nuclear incident in UK history. One of the plant’s nuclear reactors erupted in flames for three days before being contained, releasing radioactive material across England and Europe. Its most damaging impact was a rise in terminal cancer cases in the surrounding area. Atomfall wonders what if it was more than a three day event. What if it was an apocalyptic-level catastrophe leading to mutants, freaks, and open-world adventures?
Players assume the role of an amnesiac protagonist who awakens in a bunker within a quarantined region, tasked with unraveling the mysteries behind the catastrophe. The game offers an open-world experience across interconnected areas, allowing players to explore the British countryside, villages, and settlements at their own pace. The environment is richly detailed, featuring quaint villages, rolling hills, and iconic British landmarks, all set against the eerie backdrop of post-apocalyptic decay.
Atomfall is a masterful example of the power of atmosphere. The narrative is deeply influenced by British cultural elements, blending post-conflict Britain with Cold War paranoia, folk horror, and classic British science fiction. There will be the obvious resemblance to Fallout but Atomfall is best enjoyed without playing the comparison game. On logistics alone one is the product of a multi-billion dollar franchise currently backed by one of the largest tech companies on the planet and the other is, well, not that. Atomfall still serves up a deep experience with moments that stick with you long after you’re done.
Weird cults and spooky idolatry are just some of the atmospheric touches that make Atomfall fun to explore.
Atomfall also manages to overcome the fetch-questiness that plagues most open-world fare with an innovative approach to storytelling and discovery. Quests are reimagined as “leads” that players acquire through traditional found narrative moments like audio longs or eavesdropped conversations alongside interacting with NPCs. The biggest departure from traditional RPG mechanics is that leads do not generate waypoints automatically. Instead, the player has to put them on the map themselves. Often these directions are vague or contextual so that you don’t know exactly what you’re going to look for (or find) when you get there. It’s a welcome change for the genre.
As with any post-apocalypse journey the path of the righteous player is beset on all sides by the tyranny of evil men. Factions abound in Atomfall. Rogue agencies, cults, townspeople and other groups, each with their own agendas and default degrees of hostility, are scattered across four large, interconnected sandbox-style maps. There’s plenty of stealth and combat required to see the game through to one of its multiple endings.
Players can engage in combat using both traditional firearms and improvised weapons like cricket bats, or opt for stealth and strategic planning to navigate threats. The game includes crafting mechanics, a basic skills tree, and multiple endings, enhancing replayability. Atomfall also leans in on the survival side of things, so resource management becomes an integral part of your decision making. Mostly this means deciding whether a fight is worth the potential lost ammo and health, or if sneaking your way around is worth the risk.
Your trusty metal detector will lead you to uncover those desperately needed supply caches.
Atomfall is unlike any other open-world experience you’re likely to have this year. The leads system manages to tweak the sandbox template just enough to reel you into an immersive game world full of surprises. Combat and crafting compliment its survivalist tone, as do the many tough choices you make along the way. And with a playtime of around 15-20 hours you’re invited to come back after those credits roll and the “what if?” begins.
