“Atlas Fallen,” developed by Deck13 Interactive, the creative minds behind the “The Surge” franchise, presents an engaging and beautiful gaming experience powered by Deck13’s in-house engine, “Fledge.” It’s no secret that this game clearly draws inspiration from acclaimed titles like “God of War” and “Horizon,” with the cool ancient armor and attacks and slaying giant monsters in a vast world full of nature. With a game that is heavily steeped in areas full of sand, I was worried I’d feel the game would start to look dull, but to be honest, it never stopped looking amazing, what did begin to feel dull over time was the gameplay loop itself.
Set in a society where having a name signifies privilege and power, “Atlas Fallen” paints a world divided between the named elite and the unnamed commoners. Amid a tumultuous sandstorm, you, accompanied by your nameless companions, stumble upon a transformative artifact – the gauntlet. This enchanted device empowers you to combat the encroaching threat of wraiths, monstrous beings threatening the kingdom. The narrative continues as you realize your duty extends beyond defeating mere monsters; it involves overthrowing the reigning queen and establishing a more equitable society for all. All-in-all, it’s a pretty interesting plot for a video game, but it is primarily used in ways many older video games do, to further your character in the gameplay, rather than actually telling a compelling narrative. Which is fine, but I guess I was just hoping for a little more meat here.
The game’s combat mechanics emerge as the true standout feature. While elegantly simple, they offer a unique and captivating gameplay experience. A dynamic meter on the screen fills as you engage in relentless combat, enabling more powerful attacks. This system introduces a thrilling risk-and-reward dynamic, where heightened damage potential is balanced by increased vulnerability. Successfully executing precise dodges adds to the rewarding experience, yet a single misstep can lead to swift defeat, which can feel equally as painful rather than rewarding. Equipped with a primary and secondary weapon, the game provides an array of aesthetically diverse options. The weapons look pretty varied, but I felt that they all still played very similarly to one another, so it never really mattered which weapons I chose. While the leveling system has its quirks, the game’s balancing presents challenges. Confronting enemies of a higher level becomes a non-starter, as their strength often feels too strong and can lead to a quick death. This design choice can be frustrating, hindering players from taking on adversaries they feel capable of overcoming. Yet, the leveling process opens avenues to forge a distinctive character, with anvils offering opportunities to unlock and enhance perks. There are also gauntlet abilities that are passive and active skills that are very useful and feel like you’re creating a more unique character tailored to your playstyle.
Despite its alluring mechanics, “Atlas Fallen” stumbles in its mission design. Repetitive main missions across various maps really detract from the game’s potential depth. As you venture into new territories, the requirement to gather shards for gauntlet upgrades becomes a predictable trope, feeling more like an attempt to pad gameplay than a meaningful progression mechanic. “Atlas Fallen” exudes the visual grandeur of a AAA title, but the more I played it, the more it felt like a game of the past, one from the PS3 or Xbox 360 era. Even with a game that may only take you about a dozen hours to finish, it can at times still feel like it overstays its welcome. 2023 is quickly becoming one of the most stacked years in gaming, with new game of the year contenders dropping seemingly every month, I suspect that this title is going to get lost in the crowd. Competition for gamer’s time these days has been fierce to say the least, and I’m not sure there is enough here to gain much of an audience. I’m not saying that “Atlas Fallen” is a bad game, it certainly isn’t, the game’s potential shines through its dynamic combat system, it’s just difficult to fully recommend it right now when there’s so much more memorable games out and coming out. Perhaps this will be a good title to check out whenever there is a lull period in gaming, but that probably won’t be until sometime next year. But who knows, perhaps this game will speak to you more right now than it did with me, if you feel like you may enjoy it, there’s a good chance that you probably will.
7/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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