Gamescom 2022 has already delivered a whole host of exciting reveals and announcements, with a few surprises sneaking into the Opening Night Live show as well. One of the new games revealed was Deck13's upcoming action RPG Atlas Fallen, a high-octane magical title set in a fantasy world. Gamescom has been packed with interesting and exciting games so far, and as such, it may have been hard for new games to be heard above the noise.
However, Atlas Fallen's unique focus on sand as not only a major component of the game's design and landscape, but also of its gameplay and combat, which helped it stand out from the Gamescom crowd. It also made the brand-new IP feel reminiscent of another upcoming game – Luminous Productions' Forspoken. While both games have yet to be released, from what players have seen so far, there seems to be a few points of comparison, like the elemental magic at the heart of the combat and the dynamic movements of the protagonist as they slide and skid about the environments.
Dynamic Traversal And Action-packed Gameplay
Forspoken has come under fire in recent weeks for its awkward dialogue and incongruous tone, with players poking fun at a recently revealed gameplay clip depicting some corny lines and a slightly strange delivery. The action RPG has already been delayed several times, and there have been periods of its development where gamers have heard next to nothing about how the title is shaping up. This has caused a little concern among fans eagerly awaiting the release of Forspoken, but despite these bumps, it's undeniable that the game looks incredibly fun to play.
One of the best bits of Forspoken that players have seen so far is its fluid traversal and creative combat, as protagonist Frey uses her newfound elemental powers to take on enemies and leap, flip, and slide across landscapes. Gamers have only gotten a quick look at the Surge developer's next title, Atlas Fallen, but from what has been revealed so far, it looks as if it might have a lot in common with the as-yet-unreleased Forspoken. The mostly cinematic reveal trailer showed characters manipulating the landscape, effortlessly surfing across the sandy slopes, and defying gravity with their dynamic movements, much like Forspoken's Frey.
Magical Combat
If fans were already excited for Forspoken, it seems like Atlas Fallen might also be right up their alley. Its fast-paced action and focus on magical abilities to handle antagonists look a lot like Forspoken's own glimpses of gameplay, and Atlas Fallen's characters also look just as powerful as Frey. This should make for some thrilling and diverse combat, particularly when paired with each game's variety and freedom of movement. Similarly, Atlas Fallen's protagonists appear to have powers centered around elemental abilities like the power to add lightning damage or create weapons out of the sand, which hints at the chance to vary encounters and create some visually stunning fights.
Just like in Forspoken, the characters in Atlas Fallen navigate a vast map filled with threats in a region that is combating its own decay and destruction. Not much has been revealed of Atlas Fallen's story so far, but gamers know that they'll be pitting themselves against ancient gods as they try to turn the tide for humanity. Players will be up against large mythical beasts as well as a multitude of different foes, and the fantasy themes that underpin both titles and combine with the action RPG elements should appeal to a variety of gamers.
Atlas Fallen will be available in 2023 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
