Rise from the Dust in the Medieval Fantasy RPG Atlas Fallen

In the open-world action RPG Atlas Fallen by Deck13 and Focus Entertainment, the sands have a memory and keep the ruins in their hold. The ancient lost gods have broken their lengthy slumber and now rise from the dust to once again claim their realm. The Atlas Fallen release date is set for August 10th and is going to be available on Xbox series X|S, PS5 and PC.

We are extra excited about this summer hit, as it looked incredibly well-designed in the main Atlas Fallen gameplay trailer materials, we simply wanted to know more and more about the lore and story of the title, so we decided to dive deeper in the myths and legends that will be available in Atlas Fallen. Here is what we got so far:

An epic battle that has almost completely destroyed the world shared by gods and humans;

In the broken and ruined world of Atlas Fallen the gods and mortals used to roam together, but as the time passed the gods became vane and merciless towards the humans and their heroes and tried to vanquish them in a grand and devastating war.

The champions got outcast and had to build strongholds and fortify themselves as a last stand to prevent the gods from reaching them and their people. The defense mechanisms worked well and things seemed to settle for a period, but the once beautiful world has been shattered into pieces that just keep the memories all around in the dunes of the sands.

People endured and manage their lives as best as they can, but the toil has not been easy, as terrible monsters and vicious creatures seek to feed on them. Only the mighty heroes and their champion legacy can protect them from the dangers of peril. So, get ready to ride the sands and save this world from the evil that lurks around.

What sets this open-world title aside from the typical RPG experience;

Although there are numerous things to discuss on this part of the research, there are a few that definitely stand out and need your attention! The game is far from linear and allows for a much more open exploration. Bear in mind that the combat pace in Atlas Fallen is really fast, intense and quite responsive.

The combat system allows you to designate two main weapons at once and attack or perform combos with them by using different buttons. Not only are you able to switch between the two to make your attacks more diverse and combinative, but also the way you tap or hold the buttons would also have an effect on the deliveries you perform. To spice things even further there is a third attack button that is mainly focused on launcher and aerial moves such as slams and with precise timing you could become unstoppable through its proper use, no matter if the enemies are above or under the ground.

The game comes without any stamina bar to slow your combos, but there is however a really strong need to build up momentum in order to make your attacks even deadlier and more powerful. As you deliver combos to enemies, you are going to start filling up your momentum gauge on the lower left corner and by doing so you would start the activation process of any buffs, passives or abilities you have placed in it. The momentum gauge has three different parts with unlockable slots in each of them, this way allowing you would be able to compile your own battle strategy and combination when you have gained enough momentum in a fight.

Essence stones are key to your experience, so gather as many as possible;

As you are exploring the world there would be various essence stones that you stumble upon in the different areas and they grant you new skills to use. These upgrades could range from passive auras, to environmental and active abilities. They are all color-coded and come in different shapes depending on their category, power and usage. Some are to be used against your enemies and others on you or your allies (because there is going to be an Atlas Fallen co-op mode!).

Let’s have a look at them in more detail and check out some of the stones you got to work with:

Dazzling Impact – deliver an attack that stops any moves or hits that the enemies are trying to perform.
Generating Parry – grants you some momentum with every successful parry that you get.
Unwavering Stance – increases the chance to not receive knockback when you are hit.
Hurling Lance – allows you to hurl a lance and deal damage to an enemy in a concentrated manner.
Rippling Strike – gives you the ability to hit nearby enemies with additional damage for every hit.
Momentum Guard – when active it slows down the amount of lost momentum with each hit you get.

Placing them properly could greatly increase your damage output, defensive tactics and ability to retain your momentum. Have in mind that the higher momentum you are able to get and retain the bigger and stronger your hits become, and you weapons actually grow visually in size and reach very noticeably. This ascension mechanic applies to all the whips, axes, hammers, swords etc. and would greatly affect your moves and powers, making you stronger while in the high-end of your momentum gauge. This all might sound too good to be true, so let’s focus on the risks as well, the main threat in this system is that the higher momentum you have built up to, the higher damage you take if you get hit by an enemy, so you must be very careful and evade or parry really well to preserve your health.

If you find yourself in tough spot you may also want to consider another approach and activate your shatter ability, which is a form of a special that lets you fully drain your momentum in exchange for a very powerful combo or strike and then start building again. This could prove really useful when it comes to serious enemies that might quickly drain your health and need to be taken out swiftly.

Another defensive method is the “Sand skin” ability that acts as your block and would allow you to take hits without damage if done correctly it could also immobilize enemies for a brief moment and give you a window to counter. Most of the bigger creatures you must face against have parts of their body that could be targeted in order to weaken them or get some early drops mid-fight.

Explore the vast regions and worlds to discover more as you go around;

In the different places you will find yourself in, you can interact with the ruins and restore bridges, lift up whole buildings to climb up and even do some quick and cool platforming on too. One of your main methods of traversal is the dash, so you should absolutely master it as a mechanic because it would not only be useful in battle, but to reach isolated spots on the map that would generously reward you with loot and items such as new stones or pieces of armor. The air-dash could also be upgraded and become multiplied in order to make you even more able to do acrobatics or perform evades.

From the footage we saw, there was also a very cool sand gliding way of covering distance that looked to be really fast and included some motion mechanics for ongoing battles as you traverse the terrain.

Areas that you will surely explore for hours;

In the official website for the game there are a few of the levels revealed so far and among them is the Calardias Desert (a.k.a. the Vast Desert) that we have seen in most of the Atlas Fallen footage, but also there are the Bastengar Stronghold that has been crucial in the great War with the gods, Lithesta – The City of the sun and residence of the Queen and her select priests and Castrum VII, which is a settlement in the outskirts of the world that is under the Queen’s protection and rule. Each of them would be home to different creatures and monsters to defeat and would offer their own atmosphere and feel as you progress through the game.

Character and customization basics available in Atlas Fallen;

The game would offer players customization options for their character such as gender, features, body type, voice and basic outfit attire that then goes further to include detailed armor sets that you could even change the colors of depending on your liking and preferences.

Through that system of customization you would be able to craft your own personal hero and as you progress through the adventure to build on them more and more.

Even though there have been many details uncovered up to now, there is still much more to be found, the Atlas Fallen co-op is something we did not get concrete information about, although it is certain there is going to be such a mode. We are going to keep you posted about any new major updates all the way through to the Atlas Fallen steam release date so that you are in the know as usual. As for the pre-order the available Atlas Fallen steam offer includes a Signature Edition and exclusive framed artwork printed on wood but it comes in the very limited number of only 100 copies.

Will you battle in the sands this year? Are you ready to go against the wrath of the gods and become the ultimate champion in Atlas Fallen?