Atomic Heart

2023 - 2 - 20

Post cover — Image courtesy of "GameSpot"

Atomic Heart Review - Crispy Critters (GameSpot)

Atomic Heart lacks follow-through on its most interesting narrative concepts and plays it safe with its first-person shooter gameplay.

The level sees Sergei chasing after a man who used to work there, who has twisted the theater into a macabre showcase of art--much like in At this point, the game's narrative slows to an annoying crawl as Sergei journeys to one of several facilities to complete a mission, return to the surface of the open world, travel to the next facility, and repeat the process. I would often just hop in a car and drive straight to the next story beat, as that's where the better gameplay is. After completing the first mission, Sergei takes a monorail to the main area of the game, where Atomic Heart expands into an open-world format. Looting is surprisingly the most enjoyable aspect of Atomic Heart, as, with just the click of a button, Charles can use telekinesis to pull loot into Sergei's pocket. Of course, you can then use these resources to craft new firearms, ammo, weapon attachments, and items, but the sheer delight of the act is almost enough of a reward in itself. He's antagonistic to everyone around him, including the regularly helpful Charles, and it's never explained why, leading to the slow realization of the painful truth that you're just playing as a shitty human being. With the benefit of 21st-century hindsight, we know the Internet will not end up being a 100% good idea even if the main character Major Sergei Nechaev, an agent who serves Sechenov, fully believes in the dream of a world where everyone equally has access to each other and the wealth of information that will surely be shared. By the time you reach the climax of the story and you're asked to visit a lighthouse, you know what's up. Wow, it's almost as if an algorithm is feeding him with information about what it thinks he should see and hear more of, disguising it in a way where he can't spot the manipulation. The game begins a few years after that, just prior to the public unveiling of Kollectiv 2.0, which will allow all humans to have equal access to the hive-mind to control robots remotely through a Thought device wired straight to their brain, as well as connect and share information with each other across great distances. The game begins in a city in the clouds, features reality-bending and elemental powers you can employ in your fight against advanced robots, sees you scrounging for resources in an idyllic city that's falling apart, and stars an amnesiac protagonist grappling with the nuances of free will.

Atomic Heart Review - IGN (IGN)

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.

Atomic Heart review in progress: a thrilling fps with Bioshock vibes (Polygon)

Developer Mundfish's first-person shooter about a KGB agent in Soviet Russia features fun combat against robots and monsters on Xbox Game Pass — but to what ...

While there is a Detective Mode to highlight useful objects, using it forces P3 to move at a snail’s pace, and the items lose their glow the moment you exit the mode. It can all feel a bit simple: a brutal retro shooter with inventory management and crafting and a macho lead character. For a game where melee is encouraged, it’s far too difficult to clock incoming projectiles or flanking enemies. Melee weapons and guns must be built at crafting stations, after scavenging the environment for bits and bobs. And the crumbling Soviet setting, while glorified in the context of the story, seems to have been built spectacularly for an equally spectacular collapse. Divining what the game intends to say (or doesn’t) about society or culture is particularly challenging, considering its creation. But as I barrel into the core of Atomic Heart, I wonder whether this game is what it appears to be — or if it’s something much more interesting. Indeed, Mundfish’s relationship to the Russian state remains [murky](https://www.eurogamer.net/questions-remain-over-atomic-heart-developers-russian-origins). But as I journey deeper, it helps my curiosity that the characters themselves are likable enough. P3’s main job is overseeing security for various facilities run by Sechenov and the government. The game begins with spectacle, peacocking its world, its aesthetics, its technology. Like those utopias, Atomic Heart’s Soviet nation is failing, under leaders plagued by the Icarus complex in which grand ideas come to naught.

'Atomic Heart' Reviews Are Here, And They Are Just Okay (Forbes)

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, ray tracing poster child, won't support ray tracing for ... (Rock Paper Shotgun)

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.

Atomic Heart: Is the scanner tutorial broken? (Polygon)

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 review roundup (GamesHub)

Atomic Heart reviews are extremely mixed, with some praising the game for its reality-bending elements, and others calling it disappointing.

With such a mixed response, it does appear Atomic Heart will be an acquired taste. ‘A simple playthrough of Atomic Heart will take players around 25 hours to beat, which is a solid playtime generally. ‘There are floating Soviet laboratories in the sky, home to a networked artificial intelligence which could signal the evolution of human consciousness; a veteran USSR operative who can’t recall his past, and an army of rampaging robots designating the populace of Facility 3826 as enemy combatants after a software malfunction … It also noted Atomic Heart does little to endear itself to players, and that its storyline fails to do justice to a ‘cool premise’: Others have called the action laughably bad, with the game’s narrative and characters being major sticking points. Some reviewers have praised the game for its eye-catching visuals, unique puzzles, and sleek combat.

Atomic Heart: A Wild Ride Through a Retro-Futuristic World (Red Bull Australia)

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: Dive into an intricate world of a retro-futuristic romp (Hindustan Times)

Atomic Heart's superb visual design extends to its large range of partially ruined labs, facilities, and transportation hubs, each filled with long, ...

Atomic Heart’s superb visual design 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. The game is not wholly derivative despite its recognisable building blocks, with developer Mundfish assembling its vision in a confident and compelling way. However, the game is not without its flaws. In essence, it's a 24-hour, plugged-in version of the Internet. A few years later, just before Kollectiv 2.0 is made public, the game starts. Atomic Heart, the latest single-player video game, has garnered attention for its intricate world and striking visual design.

Atomic Heart - Watch the Launch Trailer (IGN Africa)

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 beginners guide: 8 things to know before starting (Polygon)

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.

Atomic Heart Review - A Red Rapture - Game Informer (Game Informer)

Atomic Heart's dazzling world design, extraordinary production values, and fast-paced fights make for a solid campaign, but the derivative plot and often ...

On the one hand, Atomic Heart is a good game on its own merits. Sadly, the best writing is hidden in the various terminals throughout the game, which contain most of the worldbuilding and connect other characters to one another. His interactions with the sexually frustrated crafting machine are especially painful, and the rest of the cast isn’t much better. Battles are both dangerous and satisfying, and the diversity of opponents keeps combat engaging. Instead of stealth, hacking, and environmental traps, Atomic Heart demands faster and more reactive shooting to curb the attackers’ superior numbers. The player assumes the role of Agent P-3, an operative under the command of Soviet genius Dr.

Atomic Heart Won't Have Ray Tracing At Launch, Despite Marketing ... (GameSpot)

Soviet BioShock-like Atomic Heart won't have ray tracing until after launch, even after heavily featuring the technology in its marketing.

"Atomic Heart is certainly going to appeal to some people, especially those looking to relive BioShock Infinite, but it's not an easy recommendation," he wrote. However, it is worth noting that the game does have DLSS support, so it will still present a lot better on RTX cards regardless. Developer Mundfish confirmed the omission to

Atomic Heart: Best Character Builds and Skill Upgrades (Den of Geek)

Atomic Heart offers a variety of skills and upgrades, though some quickly prove to be more valuable than others.

Combined with Sponge Effect, this skill allows you to soak a hit, destroy the attacker, and use your Energy weapons to focus on other nearby foes. Given the power of Energy weapons in this game, you can easily justify running a shield for this skill alone. Melee/Energy is a viable combo for most of Atomic Heart, so this skill soon proves to be worth its weight in Neuropolymers. As the only “defensive” ability in Atomic Heart, you may be tempted to pass over Polymeric Shield in favor of other options. This incredible skill allows you to lift “heavyweight” enemies with your Mass Telekinesis ability. One of the best AoE abilities in the game, Mass Telekinesis allows you to handle multiple enemies at once with relative ease. I’m not sure why that isn’t just part of the base ability’s functionality, but you will want this skill as soon as possible. Atomic Heart allows you to assign two abilities to your “Ability Slots,” and Frostbite is by far the most useful of those slotted, optional abilities. This skill allows you to acquire additional resources from defeated, frozen enemies, which means you’ll want to unlock it as soon as possible. So while you can eventually gain access to many of the skills in Atomic Heart, the better approach is to constantly change your skills around based on what the situation calls for. It doesn’t hurt that a properly upgraded Shok ability also happens to be one of the most useful overall abilities in the game. You didn’t come here to hear that, though, so let’s look at some of the best ways to upgrade your character in Atomic Heart and the kind of character build you’re ultimately aiming for.

'Atomic Heart” Arrives on PC Without Ray Tracing After Years of ... (Tom's Hardware)

Mundfish's 'Atomic Heart' launched without ray tracing, even though Nvidia has bragged about its RTX options since 2018.

Even on an RTX 3060, performance with DLSS Quality mode and the Atomic preset averaged over 100 fps at 1440p Atomic — though not in the opening sequence, where it was in the 50–80 fps range. We did a quick test of the game running on and Even 1440p remained playable, with the indoor areas in the early part of the game staying well above 60 fps — 4K dropped to about 40 fps, though. "Atomic Heart is a fantastic looking game and we are very pleased with what Mundfish was able to accomplish," Nvidia's director of global PR, Bryan Del Rizzo, told Tom's Hardware. 9, Mundfish founder and Atomic Heart director Robert Bagratuni said the game, which takes place in a alternate universe Soviet utopia, that "consoles will not support RT for now, but we strive to give our players the best and most optimized visual experience possible." Mundfish's Atomic Heart is releasing today, but without a feature that the developer and Nvidia have been pushing for years: ray tracing.

Atomic Heart

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