"Survive the Fall: Initial Preview Released"

Long before Bethesda took the reins of the series and Walton Goggins donned ghoul make-up for his captivating role in the adapted TV show, Fallout was an isometric action RPG viewed from a bird’s eye perspective. It’s this classic style of wasteland-wandering that the upcoming Survive the Fall appears to be channeling, based on the first few hours of gameplay I experienced. This deadly post-apocalyptic tale of survival builds on the original Fallout’s template – especially in its robust camp development system – while its squad-based combat and scavenging create an experience that feels fresh. However, the somewhat static story presentation keeps its personality from fully shining through.

*Survive the Fall* sets itself apart with a unique twist on the post-apocalyptic genre: the world’s ruin wasn’t caused by nuclear negligence, but by a catastrophic comet collision reminiscent of the event that led to the dinosaurs' extinction. This disaster left a smoldering crater that emits a toxic mist called Stasis. Survivors either avoid this mist or harness its power, mutating into stronger forms at the cost of their humanity. As you navigate *Survive the Fall*, your growing squad of scavengers must forge alliances with various factions spread across three biomes to survive and thrive, from the Stasis-embracing Shroomers to the enigmatic cult, the Sighted.

I quickly took a liking to Survive the Fall’s squad-based mechanics while undertaking tasks from its myriad quest-givers. Navigating your party of up to three survivors through the expansive national park that serves as the initial setting, you can either manually search for resources or delegate these tasks to your AI companions. This division of labor feels more natural and efficient, allowing you to focus on other aspects of gameplay. However, the screen can become cluttered with button prompts when interactive elements are too closely packed, though such instances are rare.

Combat in Survive the Fall is also team-oriented. Given the scarcity of rifle and shotgun ammunition in the early stages, I prioritized stealth, approaching enemy encounters much like in Commandos: Origins. I utilized the environment, hiding in long grass, creating distractions with thrown stones, and stealthily eliminating foes before directing my squad to dispose of the bodies. Environmental hazards like explosive barrels and dangling cargo pallets add strategic depth to these encounters.

Survive the Fall - Preview Screens

14 ImagesClearing out enemy clusters felt rewarding, but when stealth failed and combat ensued, the controls could feel a bit cumbersome, especially with a controller. Aiming with the lasersight was challenging, often leading me to rely on melee attacks and dodging in close quarters. However, the ability to pause and direct squadmates to target specific enemies was a valuable feature, similar to mechanics in Wasteland or Mutant Year Zero.

After a day of battling mutants and gathering resources, Survive the Fall transitions into a base-building management sim. Researching documents found in the world earns knowledge points, which you can spend on a comprehensive technology tree to unlock crafting options for everything from bunk beds and kitchens to water filtration systems and armories. Resources like timber can be transformed into planks for building structures such as plant boxes and defensive gates, while foraged herbs and salvaged meat can be prepared into meals for your expeditions. The depth of this system suggests I could spend significant time turning my settlement from a dilapidated outpost into a thriving community.

Exploring beyond my base revealed a variety of intriguing locations, from a repurposed crashed plane to a farmstead overrun with Stasis-infected ghouls. Survive the Fall offers distinct locales in every direction, though some areas, like the visually stunning but performance-heavy Mycorrhiza swamplands, suffered from framerate issues and occasional game-breaking bugs. Hopefully, developer Angry Bulls Studio will address these issues before the game’s release.

Interacting with your squad and NPCs is done through onscreen text, which can feel a bit flat. While characters like Blooper, who amusingly refers to the Stasis smog as “fart wind,” provided some laughs, most conversations merely set up the next quest without leaving a lasting impression of the faction members.

With Survive the Fall set to release on PC this May, there’s a lot of post-apocalyptic potential to be excited about. If the team can smooth out the rough edges in controls and performance, this survival-based action RPG could be well worth your hard-earned bottlecaps.