AFTER THE FALL
It’s snow joke in post-civilisation Los Angeles
In the 1980s the world succumbed to an ice age; Los Angeles froze and the population turned to designer drugs to get them through the crisis. Big mistake. Twenty years later the world is plagued by mutated, zombified drug addicts who have developed a taste for human flesh.
Behind After The Fall’s pulpy setup is developer Vertigo Games, best known for the excellent PS VR first-person shooter Arizona Sunshine. While this game swaps the heat of the Arizona desert for a wintry post-civilisation LA, you’ll still be shooting wave upon wave of zombies, known here as the Snowbreed.
Where Arizona Sunshine focused on survival, After The Fall embraces the kind of pure action we loved the films of the ’80s for – this is a fast-paced, hectic shooter. Standard weapons include hunting rifles and electrified knuckle dusters, though we’re promised the ability to craft more, which you’ll need to take on the game’s larger, hulking brutes. Your choice of weapon defines your fighting style.
Bored of the familiar? Then scavenge the world for weapon and gadget blueprints, and the resources to build them. We’ve already seen a Walkman converted into a wrist-mounted rocket launcher (the ultimate ’80s accessory even Arnie would kill for) and the dev promises a lot more era-themed fun.
You’ll need everything in your arsenal if you’re to survive in the frozen malls and diners of the game’s chilly LA. As well as waves of Snowbreed, gigantic mutated creatures lurk here too, ready to slap you with an icy tentacle or hurl a car your way.
Played either solo or in four-player co-op, After The Fall promises to be a big step up from Arizona Sunshine and is incorporating the type of ideas we associate with non-PS VR games. For example, a base camp hub area is included to offer a space to meet, chat, and compare notes. Whether you party up for a campaign or take on the world solo, the game will adjust the difficulty to suit the team size.
We enjoyed Arizona Sunshine, but it was a little bare bones. After The Fall, by contrast, is aiming higher, and we can’t wait to defrost more of it.
“GIGANTIC MUTATED CREATURES ARE READY TO HURL A CAR YOUR WAY.”