Atomfall is getting a second helping of story DLC in September, following the release of its Wicker-Man themed Wicked Isle. Titled The Red Strain, this time War of the Worlds seems to be the British cultural touchstone developer Rebellion is riffing off, as the expansion sees you investigating a “highly confidential new location” infested by strange crimson vegetation.
Beyond that, Rebellion hasn’t provided much information about The Red Strain so far. I can at least say it will feature a properly angry-looking robot, though. Rebellion released a thirty-second teaser trailer to accompany the announcement (viewable below), which mostly centres on this hulking automaton spooling up its weapons as it faces the camera.
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The emphasis on this particular foe makes me wonder if The Red Strain will see you evading the robot in Mr X. fashion, though at a glance it seems a little ponderous to be a persistent threat. Oh, and before any pedants jump in, yes, I am aware that there’s a human brain visible inside the robot’s cranial dome, which would technically make it a cyborg.
Certainly, a persistent threat would lend Atomfall greater systemic spice. I was passably entertained by the base game, particularly when exploring the mazey subterranean research facility at the heart of its Lake District setting. But both thematically and mechanically I found it a hodgepodge of ideas, none of which were explored to any great depth.
Fraser Brown felt similarly in his Atomfall review. “With its ’50s-inspired retro-futuristic setting, Atomfall has needed to contend with the spectre of Fallout since it was first unveiled, but the similarities are only surface deep,” he wrote back in March. “That shallowness is probably Atomfall’s defining feature: it’s chock full of systems and obvious inspirations, but it rarely digs into them and struggles to find anything to set itself apart.”
This hasn’t stopped Atomfall from being a commercial success, however, which is likely why we’re continuing to see DLC for it. Rebellion’s survival shooter surpassed 1.5 million players on launch, making it the studio’s most successful game in 32 years. Indeed, it was a bigger success than Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley expected, and as such we can expect to see even more Atomfall in the future.
The Red Strain will arrive on September 16. Rebellion says more details will be revealed “in the lead up to release”.
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