All Walls Must Fall

All Walls Must Fall for PC is a tech-noir tactical action game with a spy thriller setting. This is the first large production by German studio inbetweengames, founded by three former members of Yager Development, known from e.g. the tactical shooter Spec Ops: The Line.

Plot

The game is set in 2089 in an alternative reality in which the Berlin wall, separating the eastern and western parts of the city, never fell, and the Cold War lingers on. During the 150-years-long conflict both sides, using the newest technology available, developed methods to track the enemy's every move. However, the apparent peace ended abruptly due to a conspiracy, which resulted in a nuclear disaster. You play as a group of intelligence agents, who go back in time to prevent the catastrophe from happening, and have only one night to achieve it. Depending on the side they choose, their choices may either cause the Berlin Wall to fall and the political situation to stabilize, or start a truly horrible war.

Mechanics

All Walls Must Fall for PC, as stated by its creators, is a homage to both their city — Berlin — and classic tactical productions such as XCOM and the first Fallout and Syndicate games. The game is set in a procedurally generated environment, which can make every other playthrough different. During the game, you mostly spend time exploring and talking to NPCs, who can give you information necessary to unravel the conspiracy. Since most of the game takes place in crowded Berlin nightclubs, you have the tactical opportunity to use the crowd to hide from your enemies. The game also features real-time direct combat with an active pause option.

One of the key aspects of All Walls Must Fall is turning back time. For example, if you are attacked upon entering a building, you can quickly negate it by going several minutes back in time. As a result, the negated events never take place and your gain knowledge of the dangers waiting for you in certain places. This allows you to choose either to engage your enemy or to look for another way. Each decision has consequences, which can drastically affect the plot.

Technical aspects

The game was created using the Unreal Engine 4 and features an isometric view and a unique visual style, based on the communist propaganda posters. The developers faithfully recreated Berlin's nightlife atmosphere. A lot of work was also put in the soundtrack, which accompanies you in the clubs and complements the gameplay mechanics.

Last updated on 17 February 2021