Some games just come out of nowhere and suddenly become a topic of conversation in many places. That said, there's barely any report from gaming outlets for Atom RPG, even though it has very positive Steam reviews. After being developed in more than a year in early access, the game has recently released earlier this month.

Basically, Atom is a RPG in the style of the old 2D Fallouts, which was made by Russians. Just like Fallout, Atom is set in a post-apocalyptic setting, but this time it sets in Russia instead of the US. Technologically, it's not as advanced as Fallout. It's set in early 2000 after the Third World War apocalypse in 1980s, so most weapons and armors are more modern than futuristic/sci-fi. Everything about gameplay is similar to the older Fallout games, including the top-down view, turn-based combat with AP system, the stats and perks, dialogue choices and checks, thievery, trading, an overworld map with random encounters for enemies & friendlies, lots of locations to visit, and more. Also, just like hardcore mode in Fallout games, this game also has survival elements like hunger, as well as injury and radiation sickness. And just like the classic Fallout games, ATOM doesn't hold your hand at all. At the start of the game, you’re thrown into the wasteland with some clothes and an empty water bottle. You literally have no weapon at all, and you have to think of away to survive while finish the job being given to you. In fact, I think it's a bit on the hardcore side, the game is totally unforgiving and you need to rely on constant saves.

The writing is fantastic and the devs didn't shy away from giving lots of references to other games, even other mediums like books and movies. The places feel alive with NPCs that have their own schedule, including sleep & daily activities. Regarding NPCs, there's one thing I notice, there are lots of scammers in the game. You can absolutely get scammed and lose money to some of them because they're so good at bluffing, it's ridiculously that good. The game has several 'factions' but there's no alignment system to them. There are several companions you can recruit, one of which is a bandit gang member. You recruit this companion, but there are consequences to this decision. Speaking of consequences, the game offers you a lot of decisions and its consequences. You can also have a base, upgrade it and recruit people to stay there. Items are also persistent, just like Fallout games. If you sell something to a trader, he'll keep it and you can rebuy many hours later. You can also store something in a cabinet and it'll stay there. Trading is one of my favorite aspects of the game. Each trader has their own pricing policy, so you'll want to trade with the 'good' ones. Out in the overworld, you can encounter caravan traders, and sometimes they have good stuff and bring lots of money. You can trade with them, or you can simply kill them for free stuff. But beware, this act also has its own consequences.

Overall, these are the game's traits:
* A completely non-linear, living world – every in-game location is available from the start. No invisible walls.
* No limits. The game will remain win-able even if the player decides to kill every single person in the game.
* 120+ hours of gameplay in a single full playthrough.
* Unique NPCs. Every single NPC out of 450+ has his own portrait and a unique branching dialogue.
* Many various ways of completing the game – diplomats, brawlers, gunners and grim survivalists will be able to complete the game in a way unique to them.
* The world changes depending on the player. And you do not have to wait until the title crawl to see those changes.
* More than 250 quests, from epic to fast and snappy.
* Around 90 locations – from new cities to old and forgotten high-tech ruins…
* 100 types of weapons, that will come in handy when fighting with 30+ mutant species and tens of human gangs, ranging from insane cultists to forest pirates.
* Up to 5 followers with unique stories and skills.
* A huge spectrum of peaceful activities. Hunt, fish, craft weapons and even drugs!
* An atmospheric soundtrack.

I followed the game since its early access phase, and I'm pleasantly surprised with the final product. The game is decently polished for a small indie team, well-optimized and no crash whatsoever. There are minor bugs and typos, but nothing gamebreaking. The main issue currently is balance and progression. The game starts very slowly; you can barely fight anything in early game, and you're forced to retreat most of the time. But after you reach the big city to recruit companions and gain better equipment, the game becomes way more manageable then. That said, the game is amazing and managed to secure its place in my top 10 GOTY of 2018. I highly recommend it to all Fallout fans out there, but beware, it's not for the faint-hearted.

[h1]The true successor to Fallout Classics[/h1] Some games just come out of nowhere and suddenly become a topic of conversation in many places. That said, there's barely any report from gaming outlets for Atom RPG, even though it has very positive Steam reviews. After being developed in more than a year in early access, the game has recently released earlier this month. Basically, Atom is a RPG in the style of the old 2D Fallouts, which was made by Russians. Just like Fallout, Atom is set in a post-apocalyptic setting, but this time it sets in Russia instead of the US. Technologically, it's not as advanced as Fallout. It's set in early 2000 after the Third World War apocalypse in 1980s, so most weapons and armors are more modern than futuristic/sci-fi. Everything about gameplay is similar to the older Fallout games, including the top-down view, turn-based combat with AP system, the stats and perks, dialogue choices and checks, thievery, trading, an overworld map with random encounters for enemies & friendlies, lots of locations to visit, and more. Also, just like hardcore mode in Fallout games, this game also has survival elements like hunger, as well as injury and radiation sickness. And just like the classic Fallout games, ATOM doesn't hold your hand at all. At the start of the game, you’re thrown into the wasteland with some clothes and an empty water bottle. You literally have no weapon at all, and you have to think of away to survive while finish the job being given to you. In fact, I think it's a bit on the hardcore side, the game is totally unforgiving and you need to rely on constant saves. The writing is fantastic and the devs didn't shy away from giving lots of references to other games, even other mediums like books and movies. The places feel alive with NPCs that have their own schedule, including sleep & daily activities. Regarding NPCs, there's one thing I notice, there are lots of scammers in the game. You can absolutely get scammed and lose money to some of them because they're so good at bluffing, it's ridiculously that good. The game has several 'factions' but there's no alignment system to them. There are several companions you can recruit, one of which is a bandit gang member. You recruit this companion, but there are consequences to this decision. Speaking of consequences, the game offers you a lot of decisions and its consequences. You can also have a base, upgrade it and recruit people to stay there. Items are also persistent, just like Fallout games. If you sell something to a trader, he'll keep it and you can rebuy many hours later. You can also store something in a cabinet and it'll stay there. Trading is one of my favorite aspects of the game. Each trader has their own pricing policy, so you'll want to trade with the 'good' ones. Out in the overworld, you can encounter caravan traders, and sometimes they have good stuff and bring lots of money. You can trade with them, or you can simply kill them for free stuff. But beware, this act also has its own consequences. Overall, these are the game's traits: * A completely non-linear, living world – every in-game location is available from the start. No invisible walls. * No limits. The game will remain win-able even if the player decides to kill every single person in the game. * 120+ hours of gameplay in a single full playthrough. * Unique NPCs. Every single NPC out of 450+ has his own portrait and a unique branching dialogue. * Many various ways of completing the game – diplomats, brawlers, gunners and grim survivalists will be able to complete the game in a way unique to them. * The world changes depending on the player. And you do not have to wait until the title crawl to see those changes. * More than 250 quests, from epic to fast and snappy. * Around 90 locations – from new cities to old and forgotten high-tech ruins… * 100 types of weapons, that will come in handy when fighting with 30+ mutant species and tens of human gangs, ranging from insane cultists to forest pirates. * Up to 5 followers with unique stories and skills. * A huge spectrum of peaceful activities. Hunt, fish, craft weapons and even drugs! * An atmospheric soundtrack. I followed the game since its early access phase, and I'm pleasantly surprised with the final product. The game is decently polished for a small indie team, well-optimized and no crash whatsoever. There are minor bugs and typos, but nothing gamebreaking. The main issue currently is balance and progression. The game starts very slowly; you can barely fight anything in early game, and you're forced to retreat most of the time. But after you reach the big city to recruit companions and gain better equipment, the game becomes way more manageable then. That said, the game is amazing and managed to secure its place in my top 10 GOTY of 2018. I highly recommend it to all Fallout fans out there, but beware, it's not for the faint-hearted.