Atomfall has been quite the journey, largely due to its branching paths and choices that can lead to multiple endings. As I navigated through its intricate gameplay, I found myself often at a crossroads between making morally ambiguous choices and figuring out the best course of action for the situations at hand.
One of the intriguing storylines centers around Dr. Garrow, a key character involved with the technology that operates within the zone. Your first encounter or mention of Dr. Garrow will likely come from the Captain at Wyndham Village, as he has her detained. She’s being held in Skethermoor Prison, and one path to achieving an ending involves orchestrating her escape.
However, in Atomfall, freeing Dr. Garrow comes with its own set of repercussions. Not only does releasing her steer you towards a particular ending, but it also has immediate implications for how challenging the game becomes moving forward.
So, let me walk you through what I found to be the best approach, along with the reasons why.
### Consequences of Freeing Dr. Garrow Right Away
Once you hit that release lever in Skethermoor Prison, not just Dr. Garrow, but all the prisoners will be set free. This can cause some significant issues for you. If you’ve discovered by now that Dr. Garrow is in the prison, you already began the lead that ultimately prompts you to consider freeing her.
This option is worth exploring mainly because it’s a straightforward way to acquire a Signal Redirector, an item you’ll need throughout your journey. My advice would be to start by building a rapport with the Captain.
There’s this task involving solving a murder at the Church if you help the Captain, and as a reward, he’ll grant you a pass. This pass is crucial; it ensures your safety around the prison, provided you commit to questioning Dr. Garrow. Without it, you’ll face numerous Protocol Soldiers, which brings us to the next action if you decide to free Dr. Garrow.
If you promptly go to Dr. Garrow, obtain the Signal Redirector, and then comply with her plea to release her from her cell, be prepared for a swift change. That pass you earned will become meaningless—you’ll immediately be marked as a trespasser. The Protocol Soldiers won’t hesitate to attack on sight.
Encountering Dr. Garrow’s cell deep within the facility, and a likely locked interchange door if following a similar play order to mine, means getting out is a daunting task. To make matters worse, if you confess to the Captain about freeing her, he’ll sever ties with you, and hostilities will ensue. However, there’s a silver lining: you can occasionally get away with lying about her escape if you manage to evade capture.
### Simplifying the Process of Freeing Dr. Garrow
The safest route to release Dr. Garrow without putting yourself at risk involves following the Captain’s mission path. After an unfortunate demise following Garrow’s premature release, I restarted with my Signal Redirector and revisited the Captain in Wyndham. As long as Dr. Garrow remains imprisoned, all is calm.
Progress through his mission until you’re informed about the Interchange and Oberon. This builds the trust needed with the Protocol to facilitate your next moves. Once established, you’ll easily unlock Skethermoor Interchange’s entrance and free Dr. Garrow without drawing aggression.
Upon freeing the prisoners, although Protocol Soldiers will react, the red trespassing alert won’t appear, and they won’t target you. You can make your escape from the prison quite peacefully.
When you report back to the Captain, he’ll acknowledge Garrow’s escape and insist on her elimination, without questioning your involvement in her release.
### What Follows Garrow’s Liberation
Liberated, Dr. Garrow moves towards the nearby Interchange door. If accessible, she’ll linger there awaiting your interaction. If not, she proceeds, leaving the door inaccessible to you. Eventually, she’ll reside within the Interchange, heading towards the Central Processor, depending on the doors you’ve opened.
If gaining access from within, power up the large area down below and pursue the lead to handle the crane controls. With the storage container moved and door to Detention Quarter unblocked, you’ll be within reach of Garrow’s cell.
This route also allows you to avoid the Captain’s assistance, but is more cumbersome compared to performing tasks for him and simply waltzing into the prison.
In summary, even if straightforward methods abound, having the Captain as an ally is undeniably the simplest approach when dealing with the numerous Protocol Soldiers you’ll encounter in the game’s expansive Interchange areas.
