Tips for Easily Rescuing Dr. Garrow in Atomfall

Atomfall is a fascinating journey, with its multiple endings and choice-driven gameplay keeping players on their toes. As I navigated my way through the game, I found myself in a mix of making decisions that had me second-guessing and figuring out the right moves at the right times.

One intriguing storyline in Atomfall involves Dr. Garrow, a pivotal scientist behind the technology within the restricted zone. The first time you hear about Dr. Garrow will probably be from the Captain in Wyndham Village; he’s the one who has her detained. She’s held captive in Skethermoor Prison, and if you want to unlock one of the game’s endings, you’ll need to set her free.

Of course, in Atomfall, every decision carries weight. It’s not just about which ending you’re steering towards; it’s also about how those choices impact your immediate challenges in the game. Here’s what I would suggest you do, and why.

What happens if you free Dr. Garrow immediately?

When you pull the lever to free Dr. Garrow, you’re not only releasing her but all the other prisoners too—are you ready for the potential fallout? I won’t give away too much, but if you’ve reached the point where you know Dr. Garrow is locked up in Skethermoor, you’ve already cracked open the path leading to her liberation.

Besides, this storyline is worth your time as it gets you a Signal Redirector, a critical item that’s useful throughout the game. My advice? Befriend the Captain. Help him out—say, by solving the murder at the Church—and he’ll reward you with a pass, granting safe passage through the prison, provided you promise to interrogate Dr. Garrow. Without this pass, prepare for a showdown with a host of Protocol Soldiers upon freeing Dr. Garrow.

If you rush to liberate Garrow, secure the Signal Redirector, and then release her from her cell, your pass loses its significance. You’re marked as a trespasser, with Protocol Soldiers ready to attack on sight. Given her cell’s position at the furthest corner of the prison and likely-latched exits (if you game the way I have), it’s a grueling escape ahead.

And revealing your actions to the Captain? It wraps up his own narrative and triggers an aggressive response from him and his troops. Your actions are not without consequence. Alternatively, you could set her free and deny it to the Captain, should you manage to escape unscathed.

How to set Dr. Garrow free without hassle

To avoid the danger, simply adhere to the Captain’s questline. After an unfortunate demise straight out of freeing Garrow, I reloaded, armed myself with the Signal Redirector, and returned to Wyndham to chat with the Captain. With Garrow still imprisoning, all was copasetic.

Stick close to the Captain’s storyline until you reach a mission involving the Interchange and Oberon. Gaining his trust will significantly ease your access to Skethermoor’s Interchange and, eventually, facilitate a hassle-free liberation of Dr. Garrow.

By doing this, when you make your relocation to pull that release lever, soldiers won’t pursue you with hostility. You can simply walk out of prison, as casually as a newfound friend.

Reporting back to the Captain, he’ll acknowledge Dr. Garrow’s escape, tasking you to eliminate her, seemingly none the wiser about your involvement.

What to expect after freeing Dr. Garrow

Once free, Dr. Garrow becomes part of a storyline moving toward one of Atomfall’s varied endings. She’ll waste no time making her way to the Interchange door near her cell. If you’ve pre-unlocked this entryway, she’ll wait there for you; otherwise, she slips through, leaving you on the other side.

Regardless, she inevitably finds her path to the Interchange. Your journey depends on which doors you’ve already accessed. To reconnect with her, head to the Central Processor.

Unlocking the path from Skethermoor Prison to the Interchange requires having previously powered the extensive lower area, alongside managing to access crane controls. Only by controlling the crane to shift a blocking storage container can you unlock the Detention Quarter.

This approach is an alternate route that avoids too much interplay with the Captain, albeit necessitating more initial work than simply undertaking tasks for him and strolling in.

In sum, building rapport with the Captain simplifies matters considerably when navigating the Interchange teeming with Protocol Soldiers once it’s unlocked.