Long before Bethesda took the reins of the series and Walton Goggins donned the ghoul makeup for his captivating role in its adapted TV show, Fallout was an isometric action RPG viewed from a bird's eye perspective. The upcoming Survive the Fall draws inspiration from this classic style, as evident from the initial hours I experienced. This post-apocalyptic survival tale builds on the original Fallout's framework, particularly through its robust camp development system. Its squad-based combat and scavenging create a fresh experience, though the somewhat static story presentation slightly dims its vibrant personality.

Unlike many other post-apocalyptic settings, Survive the Fall's devastated world wasn't caused by nuclear negligence. Instead, a comet strike reminiscent of the cataclysm that wiped out the dinosaurs decimated a significant portion of the population, leaving behind 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. Throughout the game, your growing squad of scavengers must forge alliances with various factions scattered across its three biomes, from the Stasis-absorbing Shroomers to the enigmatic cult known as the Sighted.

I quickly grew fond of Survive the Fall's squad-based mechanics. As you navigate your party of up to three survivors through the expansive national park that sets the stage for the story's beginning, you can manually search for chemical compounds or chop down trees for lumber, or simply delegate these tasks to your team members. This division of labor feels natural and expedites the process of scavenging each settlement. The only minor drawback was occasional clutter from button prompts when interactive elements were too close together, though this was infrequent.

Combat in Survive the Fall is also team-oriented. Given the scarcity of rifle and shotgun ammunition early on, I prioritized stealth, approaching each encounter with marauders and ghouls as a calculated infiltration. Much like in Commandos: Origins, I used stealth tactics—hiding in long grass, throwing stones for distractions, and silently taking down enemies before instructing my team to dispose of the bodies. Environmental hazards, such as explosive barrels and dangling cargo pallets, added strategic depth to these encounters.

Survive the Fall - Preview Screens

14 Images

Clearing out clusters of cultists was satisfying, but when my cover was blown, combat with firearms became somewhat cumbersome. Using a controller, aiming with the lasersight felt imprecise, leading me to rely more on melee attacks and dodging. Thankfully, the ability to pause action and direct my squad to focus on specific targets—similar to systems in Wasteland or Mutant Year Zero—helped manage tougher enemies.

After a day of battling mutants and collecting loot in the deadly badlands, Survive the Fall transitions into a base-building management sim. Documents found in the world can be researched to earn knowledge points, which are then invested in a technology tree to unlock crafting options ranging from bunk beds and kitchens to water filtration systems and armories. Resources like timber can be transformed into planks for constructing new structures such as plant boxes or defensive gates, while foraged herbs and meat can be prepared into meals for your adventurers. The depth of this system suggests ample opportunity for transforming your settlement from a dilapidated site into a thriving haven.

Exploring beyond my base revealed a variety of intriguing locations, from a converted passenger plane fort to a ghoul-infested farmstead. While Survive the Fall offers richly detailed environments, such as the luminescent mushroom clusters in the Mycorrhiza swamplands, these areas occasionally suffered from performance issues and bugs, including getting stuck in menus. With the game's release approaching in May, developer Angry Bulls Studio has time to refine these aspects.

Survive the Fall offers distinct locales in every direction, yet the absence of voice acting slightly detracts from the experience. Interactions with your squad and NPCs are text-based, which can feel flat and mainly serve to initiate the next quest. Despite this, some characters, like the amusing Blooper who dubs the Stasis smog "fart wind," provided moments of levity.

As Survive the Fall is set to launch on PC this May, it holds great potential for a survival-based action RPG. If Angry Bulls Studio can smooth out the current rough edges in controls and performance, this game might well earn its place among the genre's top titles, worthy of your hard-earned bottlecaps.