Atomfall wasn’t as good as it could have been when it launched in March, mainly due to its barebones combat and anaemic stealth and survival systems. But I nonetheless enjoyed exploring Rebellion’s eerie take on the Lake District while unravelling the mystery behind the catastrophe at the Windscale Power Plant. I’d be more than happy to ramble through a little extra of that world, and it just so happens that more Atomfall will wash up on the Cumbrian coast next week.
The Wicked Isle DLC adds a whole new offshore region to Atomfall’s map. Named Midsummer Island, this area unsurprisingly plays on the folk horror elements of the original. Expect to encounter a lot of druids and at least one wicker man, as well as new locations like a ruined abbey, and a pub called the Jolly Angler.
Despite being in the sea, Midsummer Island is somehow closer to the Windscale plant than much of Atomfall’s vanilla map. Consequently, the inhabitants are more affected by its influence. Enemy factions here include pirate-cosplaying bandits and strange aquatic monsters that look a bit like The Witcher’s drowners. You’ll be able to fight these enemies with several new weapons, including a cutlass, the “Beekeeper’s Staff”, and a blunderbuss shotgun, which you can see in action in the DLC’s trailer above.
Personally, I thought the druids were one of the weaker parts of Atomfall’s story, quite generically flavoured murderous nature lovers. But perhaps Wicked Isle can flesh them out a bit in the DLC. Either way, I’m more interested in the new story threads Wicked Isle adds. Atomfall was at its strongest when you were unpeeling the enigma behind the Windscale plant and how it related to the Interchange, the massive, Black Mesa-ish underground research facility that sprawls beneath the area.
Rather than telling a separate tale, Wicked Isle’s story will interweave with the main game. There are several new leads to uncover, some of which will unlock entirely new endings. I liked unpicking Atomfall’s various threads, and your choices had a tangible effect on how everything played out, so that’s a good enough reason for another run.
Wicked Isle arrives on June 3, and will cost $20 (£15) when it does.