Atomic Heart

Atomic Heart is a highly imaginative, atompunk-inspired attempt at picking up where the likes of BioShock left off that makes missteps but definitely has ...

Atomic Heart is smart to keep this process fast by allowing us to extend out a hand and suck up reams of resources like an industrial shop vac, but it still becomes a little tedious having to ransack the same sets of desks and cabinets arranged slightly differently in a hundred-or-so different rooms. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is finally ready to see if there’s a life away from The Prince of Darkness. There is a way to fry all enemies within a zone for a while if you’re patient, and the robot hordes do become a little less intimidating as P-3 and his arsenal grow stronger throughout the story, but that’s a process that takes some time. It’s a shame that some better context wasn’t baked around these occasional fetch quests because Atomic Heart’s underground chambers feel like a ripe opportunity and are largely great otherwise: eerie, deadly, and mostly devoid of life – unless you count the mutant freaks with skulls shattered into fanged, floral arrangements or the dead bodies that communicate via the confused ramblings of their fading brain implants. The foul-mouthed and amnestic P-3 is admittedly a bit of a relic of games gone by – and his default English-language voiceover doesn’t exactly do him a lot of favours. At any rate, there is a Russian-language/English subtitle option for purists, but I would’ve simply preferred an English script that was more tempered for the setting and era. There are some especially tiny touches in Atomic Heart that smack of a great deal of consideration, like the way there are different reload animations for unspent magazines compared to empty ones – the latter of which are flicked away while the former are grasped by the same hand sliding a fresh one in. Okay, that’s a bit reductive – rather, Charles is basically an intelligent system embedded in P-3 who is capable of granting him seemingly supernatural abilities, manifested by a set of small, squid-like tentacles that extend from a glove on P-3’s left hand. Its range of robots is particularly strong, from its sleek and sinister moustachioed terminators that charge at us without ever averting their gaze to its pot-bellied parking meters with mouth tubes that make them look like they’re sucking at the drawstring on an invisible jacket. Atomic Heart’s outstanding aesthetic also extends to its large range of partially ruined labs, facilities, and transportation hubs – each filled with long, snaking globules of the liquid polymer that powers the advancements of this fantastical 1950s. For its part, however, the background does largely fade away as Atomic Heart peels back the layers of its false utopia. There’s a lot to be said about unapologetically single-player games like Atomic Heart: its entire focus is on creating an intricate world for us to explore and discover for ourselves.

After being founded in 2017, Mundfish is making a strong first impression with its debut game, Atomic Heart. This single-player first-person shooter ...

Although I found the robotic enemies to be creepy and formidable foes, I wish there was a bit more variety in enemy type. Outside of controversial themes and a lack of enemy variety, it’s hard to point out any glaring issues with Atomic Heart. This review is based on a PS5 copy of Atomic Heart provided by the publisher. There is also detailed dismemberment, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I got a laugh out of hacking the limbs off of enemies after clearing a room. I was continuously impressed by the various puzzles that Mundfish threw at me as I attempted to open doors and disarm security systems. In addition to melee and ranged weapons, Major P-3 is equipped with a Polymer glove that lets him harness electricity and telekinesis powers. Shooting feels impactful, and there are a variety of weapons to be discovered and crafted, each with its own unique feel. The tunes give a cinematic feel to battles, and make the quiet moments eerier. You have to constantly be moving and dodging in order to avoid the aggressive robotic enemies, and there are quick-time events that will trigger when your character is grappled or on the brink of death. Atomic Heart puts players in the shoes of Major P-3, a Soviet intelligence agent tasked with getting to the bottom of what caused the USSR’s robot companions to lash out and wage war against their human creators. There’s a wide range of music featured, and it only improves the experience whenever it kicks in. Atomic Heart reminded me a lot of the Bioshock franchise with its alternate historical setting.

Atomic Heart is a first-person action-adventure shooter developed by Mundfish. The shooting, puzzles, and political thriller narrative bring back good ...

Most of the puzzles are locks that require timing to a beat or rearranging dots to unlock, but the real challenge is clearing the area thoroughly to buy yourself enough time to open the door. Protagonist P-3 constantly berates the circumstances he’s in for being lame, annoying, and unimaginative, like repeatedly being sent on fetch quests to retrieve a number of items, his AI companion never shutting up, and things being too conveniently inconvenient. In present-day 1955, the USSR attempts to launch a new device that will allow humans to control robots with their mind, but the plan is sabotaged, causing all robots to turn on the humans. That being said, Atomic Heart often feels like it’s flexing for the sake of flexing, causing the gameplay or story to falter at times, but it manages a positive impression in the end. The boss fights are a spectacle to behold, but even those are easily dealt with by getting in close and chopping away at their legs. The shooting, puzzles, and political thriller narrative bring back good memories of 7th generation FPS big-hitters like BioShock and Call of Duty: Black Ops while using the 9th generation tech to push the gameplay and cinematics to another level.

Taking to the water in a self-propelled rowing boat, you'll hold a conversation with the AI in your left glove — which takes the form of little tentacles that ...

Case in point: spending an extra two hours fetching items to break you way out of an underground lab after a massive plot twist has just occurred. You’ll also be able to upgrade your snarky AI-glove (called Char-Les) as the game progresses. But what would make Atomic Heart considerably better would be trimming down some of the quests. [AI](/topic/ai) in your left glove — which takes the form of little tentacles that sprout from the centre of your palm. Introduced at intervals along the game, they keep things fresh and force you to keep switching up your weapon wheel to best deal with the new threat. The result is a hellscape where P-3 must slog his way through a collapsing world to track him down and restore order.

Today marks the embargo date for Atomic Heart, the bizarre new sci-fi game from Mundfish, which has attracted some manner of controversy given its ...

With an incomprehensible storyline, weightless combat, and frustrating first-person platforming, Atomic Heart is left to stand in the shadow of the video games that so clearly inspired it.” [Twinfinite (4/10)](https://twinfinite.net/2023/02/atomic-heart-review-missing-more-than-a-beat/): “Despite what is a promising combat formula as well as the supporting systems behind it when it comes to skills, crafting, and upgrades, there are also several equally frustrating aspects of it that hold the game back. [GamesRadar (5/10)](https://www.gamesradar.com/atomic-heart-review/): “Atomic Heart has a lot of big ideas, but it doesn't do a good enough job with the basics. And my friend Skillup gives it a big old “Do Not Recommend.” This isn’t just my favorite game of this year, it might be one of my favorites of the decade.” In the broader context of the video game landscape where GOTY contenders hit above 90, studios get bonuses at 85+ and anything under a 60 is an utter disaster, I would declare these scores “fine.” Today marks the embargo date for Atomic Heart, the bizarre new sci-fi game from Mundfish, which has attracted some manner of controversy given its connections to Russia.

Atomic Heart will not include its highly promo'd ray tracing features in the PC version at launch. RT effects will instead come in a later patch.

I’ve asked Mundfish if they have a separate date in mind for the ray tracing update, and have contacted Nvidia for a statement as well. More positively, it already looks great without ray tracing, and it does at least have fully functioning DLSS support, including for the new [DLSS 3](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/dlss-3-how-it-works-how-it-performs-and-when-you-should-use-it). From an [Nvidia tech demo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5e-GVEqL9A) back to in 2019 to an [RTX-branded trailer](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/atomic-hearts-latest-trailer-shows-off-its-ray-tracing-chops) released just last month, this souped-up lighting and reflection tech has been a key piston in propelling the Soviet sci-fi FPS’ hype train. I guess it’s better than them being cancelled outright but still, how strange that a game with an Nvidia-approved ray tracing demo four years ago won’t have even a toned-down version of those features ready for when the world can actually play it. [Atomic Heart](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/games/atomic-heart)’s long development cycle has provided ample opportunities to show off the power of [ray tracing](https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/confirmed-ray-tracing-and-dlss-games). I noticed the lack of ray tracing options in the review build we received last week, and got in touch with the game's press relations team to check if I was missing something, or if they were due to be added via update.

At last, fully automated luxury communism has been achieved. With robots. Lots of robots. Predictably, things go awry. Our protagonist, battle-scarred veteran ...

Mundfish has also received criticism for sidestepping the Russio-Ukrainian war in a [recent statement](https://twitter.com/mundfish/status/1614903977333637120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1614903977333637120%7Ctwgr%5E4b92c380790ce9611f1ca5eb10516ce2ea1135e3%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamesradar.com%2Fatomic-heart-dev-facing-backlash-on-statement-relating-to-russo-ukraine-war%2F). I should also briefly note the rumours swirling around that this game has a note in its license agreement about sharing users’ data with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). I ended up appreciating the small details that built up the world more than the grand sweep of the plot. Hindering navigation further is the baffling absence of a minimap, which necessitates constantly opening up the world map to check you’re going the right way. If there’s a unifying thread it’s the narrative, a science-fiction yarn that, via the metaphor of a human neural network dubbed Kollectiv, delivers a gentle critique of communism’s promise to elevate the collective over the individual. What it has in abundance is fleets of patrolling robots, all of which are determined to gun you down if you get too close. Some, like the lock-hacking mini-games, are a standard sort of rote diversion. One short-circuits onrushing robots; another grants you an exploding energy shield; another coats enemies in a layer of goop that enhances damage from your other abilities. The fridge turns out to be the weapons upgrade console, one of many identical models we encounter throughout the game. Post-faceplant, Atomic Heart appears on the screen and the game begins in earnest. All the while, P-3 reacts to every on-screen event in surly, teenagerish fashion. This alt-history shooter wears its [Bioshock](https://www.nme.com/games/bioshock) influence on its sleeve – but Rapture isn’t the only well it draws from.

You'd be forgiven for getting stumped right at the start of this first-person shooter, out now for PlayStation, Xbox, and Windows PC. How to use the scanner in ...

For instance, during the “Made in the USSR” mission, you have to find the “voice, the symbol, and the sprout of the Motherland.” Activating the scanner will highlight the three items — a radio, a hammer, and a plant — you need to progress. If you hold the scanner over a specific enemy, you’ll be able to see a list of their resistances and weaknesses, plus a rundown of the loot they’ll drop when defeated. Whatever struggles you’re having while learning how to use the scanner, know that it’s not a bug (probably).

Atomic Heart is an upcoming first-person shooter video game developed by Mundfish, a Russian game development studio. We got an early look - here is the ...

The enemy variety is limited, and after a while, the combat encounters can start to feel a bit too familiar. The game features a blend of retro-futuristic design and Soviet-era aesthetics, creating a truly unique and captivating world. The game also features a captivating story, with several twists and turns to keep players engaged. One of the strengths of Atomic Heart's enemy design is that each type of enemy requires a slightly different strategy to defeat. The game features RPG elements, allowing the player to level up and upgrade their abilities. The player can use a variety of weapons, including guns, melee weapons, and even their fists.

Atomic Heart does not have a FOV slider in the game's settings. Revealing the full specs to Wccftech, Mundfish said there is no field-of-view slider because it ...

Despite this brief explanation, it’s still disappointing that fans cannot just easily change field-of-view in-game. Comments in this Reddit thread also claim that the Flawless Widescreen tool has been a great workaround. Per Twitter user LtLippen, you can use this tool to change the game’s field-of-view in the absence of an in-game slider.

Once you reach the surface, you'll have to contend with even more enemies. Robots respawn constantly due to deployed repair drones, and cameras can raise the ...

- After unlocking the door, you can then travel to the HAWK Relay and hack it. Disabling enemies and security in an area is very useful, especially this early in the game. She’ll give you an upgrade to your hacking ability and a blueprint. - Use a camera with a view on the HAWK Relay. - Follow the line and look for a tower. By located security towers, you can find and unlock HAWK Relays, which can be hacked to disable every robot in a large area.

It's been over a decade since the last Bioshock but perhaps this homage set in an alternative version of Soviet Russia can make up for it?

Pros: The setting is interesting and the graphics and art design are excellent. It never does though and in the end the only significant achievement Atomic Heart can claim is making you wish The most disappointing games are always those filled with the most potential and Atomic Heart is no different. Oh, and by far the best section of the game involves pursing a deranged would-be artist through a theatre, where he displays people and robots as works of art. This is a neat visual effect when it happens and the weapon upgrades and new equipment you craft, with the collected resources, are all very handy. Between this and [Hogwarts Legacy](https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/06/hogwarts-legacy-review-the-best-harry-potter-video-game-ever-made-18230040/), 2023 has made judging a game purely on its own merits far more difficult than it used to be. Officially, the studio is based in Cyprus and has a team made up of developers from 10 different countries, but despite insistences that it’s a [‘pro-peace organisation’](https://twitter.com/mundfish/status/1614903977333637120) they’ve made no attempt to change the release date even slightly. The game begins just as the government is about to upgrade to version 2.0, allowing humans to control robots remotely and connect together in a cross between the modern internet and a sci-fi hivemind. As weird as that sounds it rarely leads to any especially interesting combat encounters, although the emphasis on freezing and shock powers does match up neatly with the idea that most enemies are faster than you and attack in groups. As interesting as this is in theory Atomic Heart fumbles the implementation, in large part because Sergei is such a horribly unlikeable character. [donating his fee](https://twitter.com/Mick_Gordon/status/1625495826247319556?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1625495826247319556%7Ctwgr%5Ec4a2e353461219a80db72a3f38b9b12b0d910dbf%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkotaku.com%2Fembed%2Finset%2Fiframe%3Fid%3Dtwitter-1625495826247319556autosize%3D1) to the Red Cross’ Ukrainian appeal. It’s also the release date of Atomic Heart, a new first person shooter that’s heavily influenced by Bioshock and set in an alternative universe where the Soviet Union prospered and became a technological powerhouse.

It's a little janky at first - The 'Scanner' in Atomic Heart is an invaluable tool for mapping out levels and finding loot...

Most of the time you're going to want to keep scanning for a few seconds, so you may as well get used to that method. Although Right Bumper (RB) is used for other mechanics in this game — like scooping up loot with your glove — it's also used for the game's scanning mechanic. Here's how to activate your scanner in Atomic Heart on Xbox.

Watch the tense launch trailer for action-RPG, Atomic Heart. Get another look at the game's story, combat, and robots, and meet some of the characters ...

Atomic Heart isn't nearly as accommodating as most first-person shooter. Beyond just the best starter skills and weapons, this advice should help you start ...

Also, you’ll worry less about the fact that you can only save at save stations. By holding down L1/LB, you can freeze enemies in place for a short time with a steady stream of ice. But you’re restricted in how many consumable supplies — med packs, ammo, that sort of thing — you can cart around. There is no penalty for resetting, either: Sometimes you might have to solve a multipart puzzle, but in backing out, the game will acknowledge that you’ve solved the first part and start you at the second. It’s not always easy to gauge whether or not you can make a jump, but there’s one simple tell that works 100% of the time: If your hand is held outward (as seen in the screenshot below), you can make it. If you’re stumped on one specific puzzle, you can back out, then immediately jump back in to get a randomized variety of the same puzzle.