The sequel expands the series with tactical vertical combat, faction control, vehicle crafting, co op, and a new region to shape.
A new Kickstarter campaign has been launched for ATOM RPG 2: an ambitious turn-based CRPG sequel to the original ATOM RPG.
Atom team’s new title takes us to the Caspian Wastes (a former testing site for the first City of the Future), where we’ll have to manage our relationships with local factions, deal with anomalies and other dangers found throughout the environment, manage a party of survivors, engage in conversations, explore, build a base, craft items, drive vehicles and use military hardware.
In addition to a large and more complex setting than a traditional wasteland sequel offers, ATOM RPG 2 promises to be a true CRPG sequel: a turn-based game centered on dialogue, exploration, character builds, and player decision-making.
As a result of the new location, the Caspian Wastes, there won’t simply be empty ruins, mutants, and bandits. Instead, the Caspian Wastes are home to several settlements, roads, factions, old technologies, and remnants of pre-war ideas that continue to influence the lives of the inhabitants.
As such, the player’s role is not only to survive in this harsh environment but to decide how to organize society within it. Some decisions made by the player will affect individual characters; some will affect entire communities.
The first Atom RPG was appealing to players who enjoyed old-school RPG gameplay. Stat-checks, weird NPCs, turn-based combat, odd moral dilemmas, and a very dry post-Soviet aesthetic allowed it to differentiate itself from many modern CRPGs.
Given that the same foundation appears to be in place for ATOM RPG 2 and that the base building mechanics suggest that there will be more depth added to life between quests (e.g., managing resources, traveling between locations, managing faction control), it would appear that the sequel aims to maintain that spirit while improving upon its predecessors.
One area where ATOM RPG 2 appears to be significantly more ambitious than its predecessor is in combat.
While still using turn-based battle mechanics, encounters now take place across multiple planes of elevation, include elements of cover, allow players to climb walls and buildings, include access to heavy weapons, provide access to power armor, allow players to command armored vehicles, and include enemies such as armed cyborgs.
Another nice addition is that players will be able to construct and customize vehicles for purposes ranging from survival to speed to combat. Additionally, co-op multiplayer has been confirmed as part of Atom Teams’ plans for ATOM RPG 2.
Another important aspect is faction influence. Atom team describes a world that responds to player actions, supports faction-takeover systems, and allows settlements affected by player choices. If factions actually gain or lose ground due to player action, if trade routes change, if settlements remember what was done to them, then the Caspian Wastes can potentially feel alive.
Finally, anomalies also fit into the larger survival loop. The sequel will include hostile zones with rare resources, secrets, and dangers. This adds a risk/reward element to exploration. Players are looking for loot, but also deciding whether their party is strong enough to enter into a hazardous area; what equipment to bring; and whether the possible reward is worth the damage suffered by their party members, lost supplies, or broken equipment.
There seem to be plenty of compelling elements here that could shape a very deep RPG experience.
Now all that’s left is to wait for the Kickstarter campaign to wrap up, which, as I’m writing this article, has already nearly reached its funding goal. Only after that might we start getting some concrete details and a potential release window. Here you can find the Steam page and below the trailer.
