"Survive the Fall: Exclusive First Look"

Before Bethesda's influence and Walton Goggins' iconic portrayal in the TV adaptation, the Fallout series was known for its isometric, bird's-eye view action RPG gameplay. This classic style seems to be the inspiration behind the upcoming game, Survive the Fall, based on my initial experience with the first few hours. Drawing directly from the original Fallout's blueprint, this post-apocalyptic survival game introduces a robust camp development system and integrates squad-based combat and scavenging to create a refreshing experience. However, the somewhat static storytelling somewhat dims its vibrant potential.

Survive the Fall presents a unique post-apocalyptic scenario, not caused by nuclear fallout but by a catastrophic comet impact. This event left a toxic mist called Stasis in its wake, forcing survivors to either shun it or harness its power for mutations at the cost of their humanity. As you navigate through the game's three biomes, your squad must form alliances with various factions, from the Stasis-absorbing Shroomers to the enigmatic Sighted cult, to survive and thrive.

The squad-based setup in Survive the Fall is immediately appealing. As you guide your party of up to three survivors through the expansive national park that sets the stage for the game's opening, you can choose to manually search for resources or delegate tasks to your team, streamlining the scavenging process. This approach feels natural and efficient, though occasionally cluttered interfaces can distract from the immersion. Fortunately, such instances are rare.

Combat in Survive the Fall emphasizes teamwork and stealth, especially when ammunition is scarce. Engaging enemies feels akin to the strategic gameplay of Commandos: Origins, where careful planning and environmental manipulation are key. While the game's combat can feel a bit clunky with a controller, the ability to pause and direct your squad adds a strategic layer, similar to systems found in Wasteland or Mutant Year Zero.

Survive the Fall - Preview Screens

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After exploring the dangerous badlands, Survive the Fall transitions into a detailed base-building management simulation at your camp. Utilizing resources and documents found during your expeditions, you can research new technologies and craft various structures and amenities, enhancing your settlement's resilience and comfort. This aspect of the game offers significant depth and promises to keep players engaged for hours.

The game's world is rich with diverse and intriguing locations, from a repurposed crashed plane to Stasis-infected farmsteads. While these areas are visually impressive, they occasionally suffer from performance issues, particularly in densely detailed regions like the Mycorrhiza swamplands. Additionally, occasional bugs may interrupt gameplay, but there's still time before the game's release for developer Angry Bulls Studio to refine these elements.

Interactions with characters in Survive the Fall are primarily through text, which can make conversations feel somewhat flat. Yet, the game manages to inject humor and personality into its characters, like the quirky Blooper who amusingly refers to the Stasis as "fart wind." As the story unfolds, deeper connections with the factions and characters might develop, enriching the narrative experience.

Survive the Fall is poised for a PC release this May, brimming with post-apocalyptic potential. With some refinement of its controls and performance, it could become a standout survival-based action RPG, well worth the investment of your hard-earned bottlecaps.