With Atomfall out now in Early Access form, we're starting to see footage of the game crop up online - and of course, the team at Digital Foundry has taken a closer look at the game on current-gen consoles and PC.
However, despite the team's tech review focusing on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 in terms of consoles, DF actually goes as far as saying that Atomfall looks "distractingly last-gen" on any platform that it's running on. Here's a little bit of context for that bold claim:
Texture quality falls flat on current-gen systems, for a start, with low resolution assets used for a great many surfaces. Screen space reflections (SSR) are also a distraction, where the technique used on console has large water bodies flicker with player movement. And finally, image quality is lacking, due to the game's anti-aliasing method struggling to address the flicker and noise during any camera movement.
The matter of image quality is where Atomfall still disappoints, no matter which platform you pick.
The analysis goes on to say the Xbox Series S version is "hard to recommend" due to the game's 30FPS target, with this performance level adding "a noticeable increase to input latency" over playing at higher frame rates on other systems.
To be fair to developer Rebellion, the fact that Atomfall may look 'last-gen' can in-part be attributed to the fact the game is actually a last-gen release too. Yep, this Game Pass RPG is also available on Xbox One as well as Xbox Series X|S - and if you want to find some footage of the last-gen version, you can check out a quick XB1 gameplay video from The Xbox Tester.
Which version of Atomfall will you be playing? Tell us in the comments section down below!
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 28
I feel like not too many games are pushing next gen tech anyway. Shame for the Analysis, I'm sure it won't help the dev push units but hey, that's their creative decision and budget that put out what it is
What's wild is that it runs on last gen, but is 30fps on Series S.
I mean, it's Rebellion. They're hardly known for striking visuals. Let's be honest. But, they're pretty solid for gameplay.
Considering what DF has been championing lately, I’ll read it as a compliment
Well DF have just recently done tech on assassins creed shadows, so I guess it was always gonna be a come down from that game.
Even from just the weather system and day night cycles, environmental weather effects and destructible environment, let alone ray tracing etc.
Atom fall is miles apart.
Well I am only looking for games to look decent like as good as the ps3/x360. And yet there are lots of new titles that go way below that. The fact that they haven't spent tons of time on minor features is a good thing.
I mean, last-gen games still look good though
Functionally immersive. It looks good enough to immerse you in the world they are presenting without being top tier or cutting edge. Pretty much on par with other Rebellion games & other AA games imo.
Atomfall does have some issues and they have become more of a problem further I got into the game.
I can't throw a molotov anymore as it crashes my game even if nothing around. Also the sound cuts out and this is my cue to save game as it will crash shortly after. Occasional crash on zone transitions too.
Overall I am still enjoying the game and if there is a day one patch to fix these few thing I will be golden.
Xbox can’t even release ‘Gold’ games in 2025 so far behind in development they have incomplete last gen games for gamepass in 2025. wtf.
Just like avowed it looks generic and just like 33Immortals it’s a half baked incomplete game.
Meanwhile Sony wanted to make the next Fortnite and spend all their money on flops. Can anyone name a decent first party ps5 game?
I love Digital Foundry in many ways but graphics are not usually that important. The Forgotten City looked distractingly last gen, but was one of the best games I played that gen. Hoping to find similar here. Fingers crossed.
I will always prize fun game over AAA graphics… so not a deal breaker… however a few bugs so I will keep that in mind when I do play
@Mincey0 I've actually been really enjoying Avowed. I normally prefer multiplayer games but this has me hooked.
@Mincey0 what has this got to do with Xbox releasing games and 33immortals for that matter, has nothing to do with xbox
If it's actually good I couldn't care less how "last gen" it looks, really!
@themightyant
Yeah, Mirrors Edge Catalyst is one of my all time favs from last gen and it looks terrible on console in its relative year.
Characters and story/world and fun gameplay loop is the most important, then graphics
@Mincey0 ratchet and clank rift apart is overlooked but indeed a phenomenal game. Pure fun. I platinumed it which I almost never do.
I would also recommend demon souls remake - feels truly next gen.
Seems like atomfal will be sitting in my GP backlog aka “play later” along with stalker 2 for a while lol.
Damn these half-baked games. That kinda kills the whole “play it day 1 with GP” benefit as I can play a finished product at a discount in a year.
Not bashing on xbox specifically as this applies to many new games. Feels like buying on a release is usually beta testing for full price.
@Millionski
Yeah, "finished product at a discount in a year" is why I find the gaming industry so comical compared to Hollywood.
It's like some kind of joke. Imagine going to the movies with your family or friends and seeing a half-edited half-acted half-finished-vfx movie, and told to come back later for the 'final edit', lol
I’m a bit worried about the performance on the Series S but I’ll give it a try!
@Millionski God stalker 2 legitimately made me angry with how bugged it was. It was so bad, (stuck in auests npcs not loading, perfoamnce all over the shop) that I stopped palying and havent touched it since and probably never will.
So glad I don't care about perfect performance or perfect graphics, the fun factor is more important to me. I'll definitely be giving this a go.
My experience has been solid thus far on PS5. No distracting glitches or technical issues whatsoever and yeah it isn't the most generation defining graphical showcase but it also isn't ugly and the gameplay and world they've built is excellent. Fantastic so far 👍
Honestly, I feel like visuals have peaked anyway. I'm a fan of the Sniper Elite series and I'd agree the visuals are outdated. You can't argue with Rebellion launching games that are fun, though. Just this year they've launched 2. Some of the big name game companies have launched zero. Atomfall looks awesome.
There was a patch released this morning on Xbox at about 11 am ish (or at least that's when I got it on my machine.)
Haven't been able to play today yet or find any specific patch notes either so not sure what it did but hopefully it will fix the problems the game has.
It can run at 120fps on Series X if you have VRR and a 120hz monitor. That's the big upside of the visuals not being cranked up to 10.
@Mincey0 I kinda get what you mean. "Good enough for gamepass" seems to be a thing lately. I'm glad there's so many releases but underwhelmed by most of them. They are mostly middling AA releases. None of them are tempting when there's so much better third party titles.
The only big games coming to GP I'm looking forward to are Gears E-day and Doom the Dark Ages, and I don't know if that's worth paying for Ultimate for two games.
Uh idk who's making the reviews and where you got your source from. But it looks ***** amazing on old gen.
@Mincey0 Have you played Avowed, or just stating the way it looks? It by no means moves the needle but it's a great stress free game. Something that has been missing as of late. So you're comment is very subjective as I name Avowed a great game for 2025.
I also expect some coming to be good to. Clockwork Revolution (hopefully this year), Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Gears E-day, GTA6 (for most people I'm not sold yet), Mafia: The Old Country, Borderlands 4 (maybe, unlikely tho for me), Monster Hunter, Metroid 4 to name a few.
PS5 specifically maybe Death Stranding 2 though this also is subjective I don't care for the rest of his games (sorry) but I liked the original with the Dualsense (PS5 upgrade). Also this is almost certain but GOT: Youei is this year, can't wait.
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...