Rebellion says Alien Deathstorm runs on a more advanced Atomfall engine with a new lighting system
Rebellion has confirmed that Alien Deathstorm was built on a more advanced version of the engine used for Atomfall, adding a new lighting system the studio calls essential for an action horror game.
Producer Martin Willingham and head of design Ben Fisher discussed the project in an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom, where the publication also went hands-on with the game. According to that report, Rebellion does not present Alien Deathstorm as a survival shooter carrying the usual survival horror features; the team treats it as a "dynamic" experience with sandbox elements, in which the player's actions can affect unscripted enemy encounters.
Willingham said the team values replayability and sandbox freedom, and that this meant "we had to do something dynamic." He added that "building the encounters around the player and the player's activities means it's a different experience."
Fisher said the sandbox survival experience was built on "a more advanced version" of the studio's Atomfall engine, which offered an improved lighting system and a deeper sense of realism as players explore their surroundings. Willingham said that mattered for the kind of game Rebellion is making: "Which for an action horror game is actually a must." He said the technology team had been "absolute wizards" in letting the studio manifest and visualize the deathstorm, and that the work covered GPU particles, visual effects and the fog system.
Alien Deathstorm does not yet have a release date. According to TechRadar Gaming, it is due to arrive in spring 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC.