Few words in the English language are as powerful as “what if?” It’s a loaded question on the edge of a butterfly effect that allows us to wrap our heads around infinite possibilities. Video games love a good “what if” because, unlike other media, games allow us to immerse ourselves and fully explore these new worlds we sought to create. And right now, one of the best open-world survival games in years is bringing a helluva “what if” to Game Pass.
Atomfall from Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite, dropped on Game Pass on March 27. Set in an alternate-history version of 1962, the game unfolds five years after an intensified version of the Windscale fire, the worst nuclear incident in UK history. One of the plant’s nuclear reactors erupted in flames for three days before being contained, releasing radioactive material across England and Europe. Its most damaging impact was a rise in terminal cancer cases in the surrounding area. Atomfall wonders what if it was more than a three day event. What if it was an apocalyptic-level catastrophe leading to mutants, freaks, and open-world adventures?
