(Image credit: Rebellion)
Growing up in the late 1970s as a devoted fan of Tom Baker’s era of Doctor Who, I was captivated by every aspect of the series—from his distinctive hair and iconic scarf to his peculiar yet intriguing behaviors. However, it was the darker, edgier adventures that truly seized my imagination. Stories like The Hand of Fear, The Talons of Weng-Chiang, and The Seeds Of Doom artfully blended horror with science fiction, set against backdrops of familiar British landscapes.
While I grew fascinated with Doctor Who, the nascent world of computer games was taking off. Desperation for a substantial Doctor Who adventure game lingered even amid the occasional release. Titles like The Lonely Assassins and The Adventure Games provided some entertainment, yet none captured the immersive action I imagined—until now.
Atomfall emerges as a revolutionary game, set in an imagined 1960s where secret experiments at the Windscale nuclear plant lead to a meltdown, quarantining Cumbria. Here, bandits and druids emerge, clashing with military efforts to restore order. Players navigate this eerie post-apocalyptic landscape as an amnesiac searching for truth beneath its ruins.
The choice of setting in a recognizable Britain is invigorating, echoing past hits like Resistance: Fall of Man and Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture. Yet Atomfall resonates with those nostalgic for vintage sci-fi. Upon entering the game, I immediately felt transported to the Doctor Who episodes of the 1970s. During a period of global upheaval, the era’s Doctor Who narratives honed in on themes of ancient folklore, as seen in brilliant episodes like The Daemons and the unsettling The Stones Of Blood.
These thematic echoes are vivid in Atomfall. With its portrayal of the English countryside steeped in an eerie, supernatural aura, players traverse places like Casterfell woods to haunting sounds of invisible fauna. Its blend of secretive governmental narratives and uncanny folk horror feels authentic to the Doctor Who spirit. Villagers form cults, accentuating the ominous archaic vibe reminiscent of historical sci-fi mysteries.
Atomfall teems with memorable characters akin to those from classic Doctor Who episodes. From Wyndham’s military rulers to the vivacious scientist Joyce Tanner, these figures resonate with nostalgia. Even the protagonist shares similarities with the Doctor—an enigmatic figure piecing together mysteries while avoiding violence, much like the Doctor’s aversion to hostility.
The choice-driven narrative allows subtlety in approach, with non-lethal resolutions an option for stealthy players. This design choice fulfills childhood dreams of playing an unofficial 1970s Doctor Who simulation, from exploring subterranean tunnels to decoding peculiar conspiracies, amidst vibrant townspeople.
Incorporating influences from classic sci-fi narratives like Quatermass and works by John Wyndham, Atomfall celebrates the eerie allure of rural myths. It’s a love letter to folk horror—echoing tales like The Wicker Man, Robin Redbreast, and Children of the Stones, still accessible today.
Reflecting on how Doctor Who molded my view of the countryside, Atomfall rekindles those dormant fascinations with folklore and mystery. Despite a nearly 40-year wait for this envisioned game, the result captivates just as childhood me had dreamt, stirring the same excitement akin to first discovering Fallout 3. Join this adventure and bask in the nostalgia; missing out might just earn you a playful scolding with a cricket bat.