Atomfallis undeniably one of 2025’s most unique RPGs. Its greater focus on mystery and non-linear storytelling, as well as its smattering of survival mechanics, make it a tense, action-packed, and player-led experience from start to finish. There is a lot to love aboutAtomfall- especially its phenomenally well-realized setting of the British Lake District - but there are also some issues with it, namely in the technical and visual departments.
Atomfall’smixed reviewslargely point to a game that feels positively last-gen, something that is best experienced by actually playing it and not viewing it through its trailers and compressed YouTube gameplay footage. However, as disappointing as that may seem to some, it isn’t perhaps as big of an issue in this case as many are making it out to be. Nevertheless,it does reveal a glaring issue with current-gen systems, especially the powerful PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Atomfall’s Visuals Are Last-Gen
Low-Quality Resolutions & Poor Anti-Aliasing Bring The Visuals Down
According to the ever-reliableDigital Foundry,Atomfall’svisuals are a little disappointing. Its analysis of the game’s performance and technical shortcomings point to a game with breathtaking scenery that has helped elevate it to being one of2025’s best RPGsthat is let down by a myriad of visual inconsistencies. It notes the low-quality resolution textures, poor anti-aliasing causing the image to flicker and appear blurry, and inconsistent screen space reflections that see water flicker also.
All of this led to Digital Foundry labelingAtomfallas “distractingly last-gen”, a fairly scathing critique of a game that released in 2025, a whole five years into both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S’s lifespan. With talk of the PS6 and othernext-gen consoles being in developmentcirculating online, it can seem quite disappointing that games releasing toward the potential end of their life look more akin to a PS4 game. Of course, as much asAtomfalllooks last-gen, it is largely saved by its phenomenal art direction and setting.
Atomfall’s Art Direction Saves Its Visuals
It Still Looks Incredible, Despite Its Technical Shortcomings
It must be noted that Atomfall is a cross-gen release, something that may be hard to fathom in 2025. It is releasing across all currently available platforms, including PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. As a result, it had to make important sacrifices to run across all platforms, which, in turn, resulted in great performance but poor visual quality. There’s even a good chance that its technical shortcomings will also help it get onto the Nintendo Switch 2 when it releases, potentially even serving as aSwitch 2 third-party launch title.
The gorgeous flora-filled rolling hills and dense forests of the Lake District, crumbling idyllic village, and terrifyingly tense bunkers all work in conjunction to makeAtomfalllook incredible, despite the objective technical flaws.
However, none of this really matters as, unlike some modern last-gen-looking games,Atomfalllargely gets by thanks to its great art direction. The gorgeous flora-filled rolling hills and dense forests of the Lake District, crumbling idyllic village, and terrifyingly tense bunkers all work in conjunction to makeAtomfalllook incredible, despite the objective technical flaws. While the screen does flicker and distant objects can look blurry, much like thevisually inconsistentFF7 Rebirth, you don’t really notice it inAtomfallas you’re so taken in by the gorgeous scenery.
Next-Gen Games Often Don’t Look Better Than Last-Gen Ones
We’re Stuck In The Past
Atomfallisn’t the only example of next-gen games looking “last-gen”.Starfieldstands out as a notable example, a game that not only looks like it could run perfectly fine on an Xbox One but also plays like a game from that erawith its endlessly maligned loading screens and barren environments. Similarly,Star Wars Jedi: Survivorwas a cross-platform release, with itsdisastrous last-gen portsrevealing that it is absolutely time developers move away from supporting consoles that should have died five years ago.
A big reason for these positively last-gen-looking games is that, to a degree, the gap in visual fidelity between this generation and its predecessor isn’t nearly as great as it was between the PS3 and PS4. Of course, there have been significant technological advancements, and there are a plethora of behind-the-scenes technological miracles that are allowing games likeSpace Marine 2to look as good as they do. Butwhen you’re just playing the majority of next-gen games, unless you have them side by side with a direct last-gen competitor, it can often be hard to discern a noticeable difference.
Atomfall Reminds Me Of Another Game, But It’s Not Fallout
Atomfall has been called British Fallout rather often, but actually playing the game makes me think it took inspiration from somewhere else.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, for example, is definitely more technologically advanced than its predecessor and definitely looks better, but in motion, it can be hard to really tell that. The same can be said ofGod of War Ragnarökor really most PlayStation first-party games. That isn’t a slight against them or any current-gen AAA game, but rather recognizing the eventual ceiling for discernible visual improvements between generations. That’s why art direction is so important in a video game, as it can mask a lot of that, andAtomfallproves that without a shadow of a doubt.
