A very British Fallout: Atomfall conjures up a cosy nuclear catastrophe in the Lake District

Rebellion’s game imagines the aftermath of a UK nuclear disaster that mixes folk horror and 50s sci-fi with a dash of Last of the Summer Wine

When Atomfall was first revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase in June, it led many to ask: is this the UK’s version of Fallout? “In some respects, yes. In some respects, no,” says Ben Fisher, associate head of design at Rebellion, the Oxford-based studio behind Atomfall, as well as games such as Sniper Elite 5 and Zombie Army 4. He explains that Rebellion head Jason Kingsley’s initial idea was to look at the freeform, self-guided experience of Fallout and think how it could be applied closer to home.

The difference with Atomfall is in the structure. “It’s a much denser experience,” says Fisher. “One of our reference points has been Fallout: New Vegas in that it’s a more concentrated experience than, say, Fallout 3 and 4, and largely builds one story that’s interconnected and has layers that are influenced by the choices the player makes.” Rather than taking place on one giant, open-world map, Atomfall features a series of interconnected maps, similar to the levels of the Sniper Elite games. “That’s the kind of map that we excel in,” says Fisher, adding that many of the game’s most interesting secrets are buried in bunkers deep underground.