Reviews before added most information needed, so I will only add a little to that. I've recently replayed fair chunk of Fallout 2 and having it freshly in mind I can say for certain that opinions about this being "Fallout in USSR" are unfair. While skill system is similar (but not identical), exploration and combat are evolution of Fallout ones the worldbuilding itself makes this game stand apart. It's less pulp and more realistic, and there is more mystycism/horror/grotesque elements. It's no more Fallout ripoff than Witcher is D&D's. ATOM is different take on the genre from different culture with different sensibilities.
If you are fan of classic RPGs you don't risk much buying it. Especially for this price (that should probably be higher).
What can i say?
The game is great, without a joke. The best parts mechanics from old-scholl RPGs was put in this compilation of humour. interesting story, not a bad design and russian culture.
Must buy for all Fallout, Wasteland fans and a good choice for a beginners to start their way into this type of games.
P.S. Команда разработчиков хорошо постаралась сделать то, что не удавалось многим другим - передать атмосферу Fallout в сеттинге постсоветской романтики. Первый раз за десятилетие, я горд за наших девелоперов, это успех.
I grew up playing fallout 2, and 1 to a limited extent. But 2 has always had my heart. Play ATOM RPG, you can easily see the influences!
Gameplay: I can't say its perfect. There are some brutal battles that you will do. Having companions helps. Some battles you will not win. Plain and simple. No way around it, other than to avoid or run away. The AI sometimes spawns with crazy over powered weapons. But otherwise, its great.
Weapons: are a bit unbalanced. As is access to certain weapons until- end game. Which really sucks. Occasionally you will encounter a merchant with something great. Most of the time they sell junk, or low-level items. Which is a bit disappointing.
Quests: Many quests. A lot are un-marked. But its enough to keep you busy for 40+ hours. I invested about 60 hours trying to do most of them. They are varied, with some having you to solve problems rather than just a straight-up battle, or doing a "Point A-B" type deal.
Currency: It needs some restructuring. Some things are super expensive, and it just feels like a grind to have to buy weapons. I ended up just taking weapons from fallen enemies and selling them in bulk.
Exp: Don't bother trying to go past level 25. It seriously becomes a massive MMOPRG type grind. A bit frustrating for me. I stopped at around level 27, and by that point the enemies could one shot me.
Enemies: Are varied enough. But there's not enough to kill. Random encounters will not spawn more than 7 or 8 weak enemies. Or they could spawn a group that just overwhelms your party. NOT FUN
Exploration: Decent enough. Lots of places to see . Though there's only one main city, where most goods are over-priced. That said, there will almost never be any two locations that are the same.
Story: Unique enough. Without adding spoilers, you work for an organization that tries to do good. Follow the mission, or don't. The choice is yours.
Overall : I can't give it 5 stars, but I would give it 4.5
If you liked Fallout 1 and 2 you will like this game. Game-mechanics and fighting are very similar to the original Fallouts. It doesnt have the cartoony vibe and futuristic weapons like Laserguns etc... but that is not bad, it just makes it more more realistic and it does therefore have a bit a different (maybe even more tense) atmosphere.
Quests are good, I didnt see any bugs and contrary to what another user wrote: there are also critical kills in Atom.
Negatives: In the end there are 2-3 fights which are a bit misbalanced in my view.
Overall I liked it more than Wasteland 2 and 3, which are good games, but I preferred the atmosphere in Atom.
What a ride. I just finished the final encounter and got the Choices slideshow. Having only briefly played Fallout 1 and never touched Fallout 2, I can say I love this game.
Pros:
Clever and intelligent writing
Interesting scenarios
Solid combat*
Quality Camera and Environment controls
Hilarious easter eggs
Meaningful uses of character statistics and choice
Cons:
Unbalanced (mostly related to combat)
No voice acting (budget restrictions, but I would have loved it)
Some quests rely on RNG to progress (more on that later)
It's a rare thing for me to become obsessed with a game; I typically hunt and peck among my library before settling. With this game I fell in love with the Soviet Wasteland and the Cadet. I couldn't wait to open it and learn one more connection and complete one more quest. It had me hooked in a way I've wanted for a long time.
The writing is spectacular, with everyone you interact with (usually) having helpful or interesting things to say. Everyone is working to their own end, and you have the power to manipulate or be manipulated by those around you. I particularly loved the easter eggs, which are plentiful.
This game has converted me into enjoying isometric titles, mostly with how easy the camera is to adjust and control, but mainly the fact you aren't limited to a single perspective and can rotate on ANY map. It helped a lot when the angles of buildings are in your way during fights.
The mechanics are balanced to have every character spec Dexterity and follow the perk path to get Think like the Enemy and Praetorian. This limits what is viable to have as a character, and I hope in future titles (haven't played Trudograd yet) they allow for more mechanically varied characters to succeed in combat.
The RNG wasn't as bad as other RPGs I've played, but it was jarring to be invested in thickening plots only to have the next thing I need to do is wait for a day and a half for a random encounter to show up.
Play it. I hope you love this game too.
