Atlas Fallen | PC Review

Like any good RPG, you start off as a nameless nobody and eventually you get tasked to kill a god. From developer Deck 13 and publisher Focus Entertainment comes Atlas Fallen. I saw this game and instantly knew I had to give it a try. Showing bits of scenery, combat, and a newish mode of transportation, the intros and teasers piqued my interests in a world filled with sand. Once I got my hands on it, I had a blast discovering what this world had in store for me. Most importantly, Atlas Fallen felt familiar to me. Not exactly in the sense that I had played it before, but it fell into the classic idea of a story-driven RPG. Large open maps with collectables, side missions, and monsters to beat. It takes me back to the Jak series. Anywho, let’s dig into this sandy game.

Insert Generic Protagonist Name Here

The world is in ruin. A malevolent god has forsaken all but the highest of followers. Forced to find precious materials to keep this god in power, the lower class aren’t given names and are called “nameless”. Groups of nameless and soldiers venture out of the safety of the cities to gather the materials for the god’s ritual. The world is a dangerous place. Strange sand monsters litter the roads, destroying all who get too close. At camp one night a theft happens. The thief escapes the camp and runs into the darkness. To save lives, you agree to go looking for the thief, and that is when you find the gauntlet.

The story is good and kept me invested through the game and wanting to see what was next for everyone. The game can progress as fast or as slow as you want. I spent many hours looking for collectables, because I’m a checklist guy, and it gave me a checklist. But it doesn’t actually need to be done. As long as you can complete the main objectives, you can move on with the story, although some of the challenges could be easier with help from extra skills earned along the way. Like other RPGs, as you progress so do the monsters, but tougher monsters mean better rewards. The rewards could be new skills or materials to upgrade skills you’ve already found.

The skills are not freely used during combat, but you can place them strategically on a momentum bar. This bar is filled by doing well in the current battle. Landing hits, avoiding damage, and using certain skills raise your momentum and allow the use of bigger, stronger skills. Momentum is lost outside of combat, forcing you to rebuild it every battle. Choosing weapons that fit your play style helps with building momentum faster. The momentum doesn’t just affect your skills, but also dramatically changes how your weapons act and feel as you gain more and more momentum.

I Hate Sand!

Not a lot of negative can be said about this game. I do have one major problem, however. I’ve completed everything I can and have gotten most of the achievements, but I missed a skill at some point and was unable to get the “all skills” achievement. The game is beat, and the skill was a reward for completing a side mission a special way. There does not seem to be a way to go back nor start a new game to retry that mission. So unless I want to replay the entire game again, I can not complete the achievement.

If Atlas Fallen had a New Game+ mode and I was able to redo everything with all of the stuff I’ve earned, that might not be so bad. But I had the same problem with Dragon Age: Origins. I really enjoy the game, but I’m unwilling to start all over to continue playing. Other than that I feel like if Atlas Fallen had a sequel and they added a way to loop or, dare I say, grind it might be what the game needs to not come to a standstill in the end game. Now, do I want senseless grinding? No, but maybe something along the lines of Borderlands where you can beat a boss to reroll a skill or armor. 

Either way there are a couple other small things I wanted to touch on. I’ve come across events in the world that will not conclude, and it seems to have been fixed since I originally went through the game. But be aware that the game does (or did) have hiccups that prevented some progress. It is nothing game breaking, but if you find yourself wondering why something won’t happen after you completed a challenge, this might be why.

Lastly, If I controlled sand, I would carry that stuff with me everywhere I went. I no longer feel safe without sand. I want sand. I need sand. I really just want to be able to surf everywhere I go.

Building on Sand

Atlas Fallen isn’t that much different from other RPGs. There is a rhythm to fighting, a timing system to understand, and the freedom to use just about any skill as you see fit. This allows you to play your way and learn how to make your play style work for you. Picking up that game is pretty easy. It feels more like a hack and slash than godly sand powers. As new skills are unlocked and different levels of momentum are reached, the game starts to feel very different. Mastering this game is less actual skill and more the in-game skills you choose with your play style. 

I’ve sunk about 40 hours into the game and ten of that is probably walking through the map looking for collectables. I find myself hating those parts of games anymore, because it feels like they drag out parts that just didn’t need that extra play time. I didn’t feel that way with Atlas Fallen, however. Things feel purposeful, and it drives the story onward and again you can take your time like I did. It gives you the choice of exploration if you want it. If you’re on the fence about it I recommend giving it a try. Deck 13 did a great job putting a new spin on an old school feel.

To hear me talk more about Atlas Fallen, be sure to listen to the August 16 episode of The Gaming Outsider podcast around the 38:57 time stamp.

This review is based on a PC copy of Atlas Fallen provided by Sandbox Strategies for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.