Long before Bethesda took the helm of the series and Walton Goggins donned ghoul makeup for the captivating TV adaptation, the Fallout franchise was known for its isometric action RPG format viewed from a bird's-eye perspective. It's this classic style that the upcoming game, Survive the Fall, seems to be drawing inspiration from, based on the initial hours of gameplay I experienced. This post-apocalyptic survival narrative builds upon the original Fallout's framework, particularly evident in its robust camp development system. The game's squad-based combat and scavenging mechanics craft a fresh experience, though its somewhat static storytelling might hinder its full personality from shining through.

Survive the Fall sets itself apart from typical post-apocalyptic scenarios by attributing the world's ruin to a catastrophic comet collision, reminiscent of the event that led to the dinosaurs' extinction. This disaster not only decimated a significant portion of humanity but also left behind a toxic mist known as Stasis. Survivors either shun this deadly substance or harness its power, mutating into enhanced beings at the cost of their humanity. Throughout the game, your squad of scavengers must forge alliances with various factions dispersed across three biomes, ranging from the Stasis-adapted Shroomers to the enigmatic cult, the Sighted, to survive and thrive.

Engaging with Survive the Fall's numerous quest-givers, I quickly grew fond of its squad-based dynamics. Navigating your party of up to three survivors through the expansive national park setting, you can manually scavenge for resources or delegate tasks to your AI companions, enhancing efficiency and immersion. The only minor drawback was occasional clutter from interactive prompts, though this was infrequent. The division of labor feels intuitive, making the process of exploring and looting settlements more engaging and streamlined.

Combat in Survive the Fall emphasizes teamwork. Given the scarcity of ammunition in the early stages, I adopted a stealth approach, akin to the tactics in Commandos: Origins. Sneaking through enemy camps, using distractions, and executing silent takedowns added a strategic layer to encounters. The environment offers various hazards to exploit, from explosive barrels to strategic cargo drops. However, when stealth failed and combat ensued, the controls felt slightly cumbersome on a controller, with targeting enemies proving challenging. The ability to pause and direct squadmates to focus on specific targets mitigated this somewhat, echoing systems found in games like Wasteland or Mutant Year Zero.

Survive the Fall - Preview Screens

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After a day of navigating the perilous wastelands, Survive the Fall transitions into a base-building management sim. Here, you can research documents to gain knowledge points, unlocking a wide range of technologies from bunk beds and kitchens to water filtration systems and armories. Crafting resources into useful items and structures, such as plant boxes or defensive gates, adds depth to the game. Foraging and hunting provide ingredients for meals, further enhancing your camp's self-sufficiency. The potential for detailed settlement development is promising and could become a significant time sink in the full game.

The world of Survive the Fall is filled with intriguing areas to explore, from repurposed crashed planes to ghoul-infested farmsteads. However, the impressive detail in these environments occasionally led to performance issues, particularly in areas like the Mycorrhiza swamplands, where framerate drops were noticeable. The game also suffered from occasional bugs that required a restart, indicating areas for improvement before its release. Developer Angry Bulls Studio has a month left to optimize performance and polish the game's rough edges.

One aspect that could use enhancement is the dialogue system. Interacting with your squad and NPCs through text-only exchanges feels somewhat flat, though quirky characters like Blooper provide some humor. The conversations often serve more to initiate quests rather than to build deep character connections. Hopefully, as the game progresses, these relationships will develop further.

Survive the Fall is slated for a PC release this May and holds significant post-apocalyptic potential. If the developers can address the control and performance issues, this could become a compelling survival-based action RPG worth your investment.