Atomfall: Rebellion on its breakout Fallout rival, cricket bats, and a little known nuclear disaster
Initially, I didn’t have Atomfall pegged as one of my must-play games and yet, when it launched, something about the action-packed gameplay trailers spoke to me. There was the freedom of choice aspect that appealed, of course: the ability to help, hinder, or kill the first person you meet is indictive of the games free-form structure throughout. Then there’s the delightful 1960’s Cumbrian countryside setting, which visually and atmospherically sets Atomfall apart from the myriad other post-apocalyptic video games out there. But it was the real-life influenced mystery at the heart of the game that truly got my buy-in. Discovering what had happened at the Windscale Power Plant and learning what the obtuse Oberon actually is, these became obsessions of mine during the delightfully achievable twenty-odd hours it took me to play through the game.
Read more: Atomfall review
I was blown away to later learn that the nuclear disaster portrayed in the game was based on an actual event in British history, the 1957 fire at the Windscale Power Plant. Now, I don’t know lots of things. Who is Charlie XCX? How does TikTok work? Why does my son keep demanding that I ‘POV’? I can accept my ignorance on these topics; I’m 43 and my back hurts. But I was befuddled how the worst nuclear accident in the UK’s history, indeed, one of the worst in the entire world – ranked in potential nastiness of level 5 out of 7 on the International Nuclear Event Scale no less – had completely escaped my attention.
A big aspect of the Playing with History series has always been about learning through the medium of video games. So, what better way to learn about the Windscale Fire, and the development of Atomfall, than by interviewing Ryan Greene, Art Director at Rebellion? Sure, I could Wikipedia it, but where’s the fun in that?
“First and foremost, Jason Kingsley, our CEO, has always been fascinated by historical flashpoints.” Ryan explained about Rebellion’s decision to base a videogame around the infamous Windscale Fire, “Alongside this, we noticed that, although there are many “nuclear quarantine” games, none were based around the Windscale Incident, which was the world’s first major nuclear disaster. Additionally, the vast majority of these games are set in post-apocalyptic urban locations or irradiated waste lands. Whereas the Windscale Incident enabled us to create a lush and green setting in the rural British countryside, which immediately sets Atomfall out from the crowd. “
Now, without trying to freak anyone out, the Windscale Fire could have gone very differently. Without the concerted bravery of those diligently fighting the fire over several panic-stricken days, much of the UK could now be irradiated. How did those real-life and incredibly dramatic events surrounding the Windscale fire influence the development of Atomfall?
“Although it’s not widely talked about nowadays,” whispered Ryan, perhaps concerned that the ghost of Harold Macmillan could well be on to us, “the Windscale Incident could have become a defining moment in modern British history had things gone differently. However, it’s important to handle historic events like this with care and so the cause behind Atomfall’s in-game Windscale fire and the resulting fallout is completely fictional. So, it’s more a case of using the incident as a jumping off point for us explore a ‘what if’ alternative history that also draws influence from 50s and 60s British speculative fiction and British folklore.”
This decorum absolutely makes sense, as it’s estimated, even with the fire being contained, that the resulting radiation leak may have caused up to an additional 240 cancer cases. Rather shockingly, the reactor that was the cause of all the shenanigans is still sealed with fifteen tons of uranium wedged inside. Due to the fear that opening the reactor could cause the fuel to reignite, it isn’t due for decommission until 2037. So, you know, it’s just sat there.
Anyhow, on that cheery note, it’s time to find out how Atomfall being set in the infancy of the Cold War, an era of secrecy, influenced the cover-ups and conspiracies that are the beating heart of the game’s engaging storyline.
“The pulp culture of the 1950s and 1960s was a major influence on Atomfall,” said Ryan. “This is steeped in Cold War themes like paranoia, unease, distrust of the government, uncertainty about urbanisation, loss of tradition, keeping calm in the face of a grand threat. All of this filtered into the world of Atomfall, and you can see this represented in the setting, the characters, and the tasks and activities people ask you to do for them. However, it is probably best reflected by the fact that everyone in the game has their own take on events, but who you trust and what version of the ‘truth’ you accept, is up to you.”
Totally, which links into the many brilliant multiple endings of the game, each feeding into the player’s actions and decisions. I’m still making my way through all of them, though I can’t quite bring myself to side with the druids, a measure of how the game’s lore and ethics have buried their razor-sharp teeth into me. Atomfall’s reconstruction of 1960’s Cumbria is absolutely spot on too. I found myself wondering, how did the developers go about delivering such an authentic feeling Lake District slice of life? And what role did historical research play in this? Ryan did not disappoint in his answer:
“To ensure that the game accurately captured the look and feel of rural Cumbria in the late 1950s, members of the Art and Design teams undertook several photogrammetry expeditions to the area. During these trips, we captured images of historic structures and architecture (i.e. the Lake District’s iconic drystone walls) that were then used as sources of design for the game. Some older buildings that were constructed prior to Atomfall’s setting, were also mapped into the game. As a consequence, Atomfall’s quarantine zone represents a concentrated slice of Northern England that is true to the real-world location. Importantly, Atomfall’s quarantine zone has been walled off from the outside world since 1957. Therefore, the world players explore is in effect a time capsule, and we were careful to ensure that items littered around the in-game map accurately reflected the period. So, time appropriate gadgets include radios and phonographs, as well as vehicles like period trucks and bicycles. The team also leaned into small details, such as 1950s dimpled pint glasses to ensure that players can have an authentic pint in Grendell’s Head, the local village pub. This care even extended beyond everyday items to aspects like the fonts used on the in-game road signage, as those used in 1950s Britain were much more decorative compared with today.”
I adore a dimpled pint glass – one with a handle – surely the greatest drinking implement of all time. Indeed, a distinctive sense of ‘Britishness’ suffuses every aspect of Atomfall. Take the incorporation of folk-horror elements, which provide a brilliantly moody atmosphere that permeates every location the player explores. Which folk tales, I pondered, influenced Rebellion the most in developing the game?
Scarily, Ryan responded, even though I’m pretty sure I didn’t ask my question out loud: “The folk horror elements behind the game are eclectic. The classic British 1973 folk horror The Wicker Man is a major inspiration – as you can probably guess from the fact we have our own in-game wicker man! In addition to this, lesser-known British folk horror The Blood on Satan’s Claw and the 1980s kids TV show Moondial also served as references points when we were creating areas like Casterfell Woods. “
But, of course, it’s not just folk horror, there’s also a hefty dose of sci-fi to be found, with the B.A.R.D robots in particular having a distinctive Dalek vibe. Did 1960s Doctor Who influence the developers work?
“Absolutely!”, exclaimed Ryan, “Our art team drew on Doctor Who as well as Day of the Triffids, The Quatermass Experiment, and The Prisoner when creating designs for B.A.R.D, the fictional research organisation responsible for Atomfall’s unique brand of retro-futurist technology and machinery. As such, the towering atomic battery powered robots that players will need to tackle and the underground secret laboratories that are begging to be explored have a look that is very much reminiscent of classic 1960s science fiction. Beyond this, the audio team created scores driven by heavy piano lines and frenetic rhythms reminiscent of 1960s science fiction. These scores are used to convey a sense of chaos when encountering robots and eeriness when exploring abandoned scientific laboratories. As well as music, the sci-fi influences have also worked their way into the sound effects when players interact with the world through pushing buttons, and pulling levers. For instance, the machinery in Atomfall is powered by a type of sci-fi inspired, retro-futurist technology, the distinctive sound of which is punctuated by radiophonic-style electronic sounds typical of classic Doctor Who.”
With all this Doctor Who inspired tech talk, it could be easy to forget about the many British influenced weapons, tools, food and drink in the game, from the cricket bat (a personal fave) to health-restoring Cornish pasties and energy-providing cups of tea. How did the team go about selecting this quintessential British line up?
“By the time the player wakes up, Atomfall’s quarantine zone has been cut off from the land of plenty for five years” mused Ryan, “As such, resources within the zone are scarce. With weapons, the melee weapons are mostly improvised cudgels and blades that could feasibly be scavenged from the landscape. Then, in terms of ranged weapons, it’s a motley collection of worn-out weaponry that may have been on farms and estates during that time, alongside those that the military brought in when the quarantine zone went into effect.”
But what about items that almost made the cut but weren’t included in the end? Was there ever the possibility of us cudgelling a bandit with Queen Victoria’s stony bust?
Ryan politely ignored my poor attempt at a pun and concluded, “in terms of what made the cut, we wanted Atomfall to have a quintessentially British feel, and so it was about including those iconic items that may feasibly have been laying around the house when this disaster happens. This is where the cricket bat comes in… what English house in the 50s didn’t have a cricket bat!?” That’s very true, I might have to get one to stick in my garage, just for apocalypse preparation purposes.
“We did tinker with even more rudimentary weapons such as a wooden plank” considered Ryan, “but found this just confused players as environmental content such as wooden floors, and banisters are so common throughout the game. So, we ended up avoiding such mundane items, and made sure our weapons were clearly designed for utilitarian combat and ideally had some nice retro British styling.”
As we prepared to wrap up the interview, I admitted my sordid little secret to Ryan: that, despite being really into history, prior to playing Atomfall, I hadn’t even heard of the Windscale fire. I figured I couldn’t be the only one clueless in this respect – at least, I hoped I wasn’t the only one – what has the response been from Atomfall’s player base in discovering this almost forgotten event?
“Interestingly, despite it being the world’s first major nuclear incident, not many people today know about the 1957 Windscale fire” said Ryan, which was a relief for my delicate yet inflated ego, let me tell you. “This is largely because the severity of the situation was played down and many details were suppressed by the government of the time. The response from the community has been phenomenal – again with many people not knowing that the game was based, albeit loosely, on a real-world event. In particular, Cumbrians have been thrilled to see their local environment so accurately depicted in a video game for the first time. It has been fun to see people learning about Cumbrian history via playing our game and hopefully we give insights into the regional industries and local culture.”
Absolutely, the team at Rebellion unequivocally achieved this goal. As someone who loves to visit the lakes, Atomfall just feels right. From the cute little cottages, to rolling green fields, ancient walls, and stone circles; it’s all a sumptuous treat for a fell-walker’s eyeballs. Plus, playing Atomfall results in far fewer blisters than a real life outing in the Lakes. Right Ryan, let’s wrap things up with a plug to sell some stuff, just as all children of latter stage capitalism must do. So, as someone eager to return to Wyndham Village for further misadventures, what, if anything, can you tell me about your DLC plans?
“We have just launched our first DLC, the Wicked Isle. This draws heavily on the folk horror elements of the game for inspiration – the DLC’s location, Midsummer Island, is actually a nod to the movie Midsummar, “Summerisle” from Wicker man, and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. So hopefully that gives an idea of where we are trying to go with that! We also have another DLC in the works too. We don’t have much to announce on this front yet, but it will lean more into Atomfall’s sci-fi influences.” Frankly Ryan, I cannot wait. Now, time to go hit some more bandits with my cricket bat and finally try to force myself to help out the druids and be nice to Oberon, just to see what happens!
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From cinematic samurai epics to world-conquering strategy games, Ade and Jim will explore a wide spectrum of titles, from AAA blockbusters to indie gems and everything in between. Playing With History is set to feature over 200 pages of deep dives and interviews and will be available both physically and digitally with optional premium upgrades as well as a backer-exclusive early bird discount.
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