The Metal Detector is among the first gadgets you’ll want in your inventory as you explore Atomfall. Resources are scarce across its locales, meaning that the occasional crate with crafting items can help you offset poor trades and battles that consumed a dozen bandages. Read on to learn where you can find the Metal Detector in Atomfall and how you can use it in-game.

View Full-size

1

2

3

4

(1 of 4) Head here to meet a miner named Reg.

Getting your hands on the Metal Detector¶

There are three routes you can take to get the Metal Detector:

• Meet the miner Reg in the Slate Mine Caves to the south of Slatten Dale. You can trade with him and obtain the Metal Detector by parting with some of your belongings.
• Simply kill Reg and loot the Metal Detector off his body.
• Head over to 29.0E, 74.1N in Slatten Dale to find a body lying in a lake. Evade the harmful fish and loot this corpse to get the Metal Detector for free.

While all three options give you the tool, you’ll run into Reg first as you leave the game’s prologue section. Traders switch out their stock over time so we recommend keeping him alive. The trade isn’t too costly and the Metal Detector will earn its keep as you explore Atomfall’s world. If you want to get it for free, you can always sprint over to the corpse marked on the second map. You may run into Outlaw patrols but they’ll let you off with a warning if you don’t get too close.

View Full-size

All five indicators glow red when it is time to dig.

Using the Metal Detector¶

As you explore an alternate Northern England, your Metal Detector will dutifully beep when there’s a buried stash nearby. An icon will pop up on the bottom left of your screen, letting you instantly switch to the tool. Use LT/L2 on a controller to aim the Metal Detector.

One of the indicators will glow red to point out the direction of the stash. Turn around until the indicator at the center glows to walk directly to the correct spot. The dial below these indicators shows how close you are to the buried items. Once you’re right next to it, all five indicators glow red and you can press RT/R2 to dig out your reward. You’ll find stashes buried in all of Atomfall’s regions, making the Metal Detector a must-have when it comes to looking for leads and resources.