Head in the Clouds? I’ve been dipping into the wide beyond of Atmosfar to get ready for today’s Early Access launch! Read on if you love survival-crafting adventure – either alone or in co-op. You’ll find out if Atmosfar is any good, if it’s safe for kids, and how it plays on Steam Deck.
As ever for an Early Access game, I’ll not be running down with scores, as so much can change as development continues. This preview will take you through my experience at the very start of its journey.
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The Basics – What is Atmosfar About?
In Atmosfar you take on the role of a Vagabond. Escaping from a prison sentence which seems largely unfair (on account of it not being me wot dun it, guvna’) you’ll take to the skies and explore the planet of Tycos. Either alone or in multiplayer co-op, Atmosfar will take you on a cloud-filled survival-crafting journey.
At the start of the game – as with most titles in the genre – you’ll be on the lookout for your first tools, materials to build with and food. Unlike most games I’ve played, however, you’ll also get access to a decent runaround vehicle (a Wasp) pretty much straight away.
Obviously it doesn’t quite stop there. Exploring Tycos you’ll find new Wasp variants as well as more tools, equipment and more vehicles. One touch I absolutely love with Atmosfar is the camp building! This one answers the problem of building a base in a game built for wide exploration.
Packing your camp up into the hub and slotting it into the Wasp is a great approach to this. It allows you to improve your camp and take it with you as you explore new areas. Eventually, though, you’ll be working to build a more expansive Cloud Cruiser – a large-scale aircraft, home and forward operating base.
In Early Access the team isn’t finished yet, but there’s still some lore to find about human civilisation on Tycos, and plenty to unlock and upgrade along your way.
Is Atmosfar Safe for Kids?
Rating: Family Friendly.
AT THE MOMENT – Atmosfar seems like a more relaxed journey. While there is combat within the title, it’s not something which is graphic or gory, and it’s not a title I’m worried about playing in front of our Micro-Bandits at the moment.
The caveat here of course is that if you’re reading this later down the line. Anything could change during development. We’ll be back with our full common-sense parent’s guide closer to 1.0 launch.
How Does Atmosfar Play on Steam Deck?
Rating: Minor Wobbles.
With some minor graphical frame drops here and there, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with Atmosfar on Steam Deck. It runs using full support for standard controller options, and there’s nothing so far that I’ve found too awkward to access or broken.
Text on the screen can be a little small at times (the curse of most Steam Deck games in honesty) but Steam Deck will continue to be my primary platform for Atmosfar to test the new elements as it moves through Early Access. Most importantly, if I only had the Steam Deck to play it on, I wouldn’t be mad.
The Verdict
Is Atmosfar Worth Grabbing?
Here at the start of Early Access Atmosfar shows a lot of promise. Helped along by the fact that it’s already well put together, it performs as expected and already has a decent (if not bountiful) amount of lore and equipment to unlock.
I’m really looking forward to the journey to 1.0. Atmosfar delivers a solid foundation, and if you’re a survival crafter who doesn’t mind the usual Early Access buggettes and foibles I think it’s one which you are likely going to enjoy!
The only thing that pulls up as a negative for me currently is that some resources (such as copper) necessary to progress aren’t found as much as I would like – and it seems possible to lock yourself in a location with no fuel if you’re not paying attention.
However, with (ironically) firm ground under their feet, even if you don’t like Early Access it’s going to be one to watch. There are already various vehicles in game, a good number of biomes, and story and lore to uncover for intrepid Vagabonds. If you’re looking for fairly relaxing gameplay, a good start to an intriguing narrative and a world in the clouds to explore, Atmosfar is the one for you.
As ever, to provide our Pixel Bandits review and common-sense parent’s guide for Atmosfar we received a game code or codes from the folks at Shueisha Games
