Atomic Heart
Release Date: February 21, 2023
Action, FPP, science fiction, FPS, RPG elements, alternative history, shooters, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
A first-person perspective shooter, in which the players are taken to a retro-futuristic version of the Soviet Union. In Atomic Heart, the players assume the role of a secret agent tasked with examining a secret facility connection with which had been lost. The protagonist must face an army of hostile robots and hordes of zombies.
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Videos and Screens
[1:44] Atomic Heart Atomic Heart: Trapped in Limbo DLC #2 - Launch Trailer
[1:46] Atomic Heart live action trailer
OpenCritic Rating
Game is Recomended by 60% of Critics. There are 138 Critic Reviews.
GamesRadar+: 2.5 / 5 by Josh West
Atomic Heart is a messy video game with big ideas and a desperate need for refinement
Hardcore Gamer: 4.5 / 5 by James Cunningham
Atomic Heart is an "everything and the kitchen sink" type of adventure that feels like it should explode from the weight of its ambitions, yet keeps it together through a combination of good pacing of new elements and a deeply likeable world.
PC Gamer: 78 / 100 by Rich Stanton
Atomic Heart aims high and, even if it doesn't quite pull it off, is a decent shooter in an exceptionally realised setting.
The main pros of the game
- Visuals and Art Design: The game is praised for its stunning graphics and artistic design, with many users noting it as one of the best visual experiences in recent gaming.
- World Building and Atmosphere: Players appreciate the unique Soviet-inspired retro-futuristic setting and the immersive atmosphere it creates.
- Engaging Story: The storyline is generally viewed positively, with interesting themes and character dynamics that keep players engaged.
- Combat Mechanics: While opinions vary, many users found the combat fun and dynamic, especially with the variety of weapons and upgrades available.
- Soundtrack: The music and audio design received high praise, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- Performance and Optimization: The game runs well on various systems, with many players reporting smooth performance even on high settings.
The main cons of the game
- Dialogue and Writing: Many reviews criticize the protagonist's dialogue as whiny or annoying, particularly in the English version, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Combat Issues: Some users found the combat mechanics tedious, with complaints about underwhelming weapon feel, long reload animations, and the knockdown mechanic being frustrating.
- Repetitive Gameplay: Several players noted that the gameplay can become repetitive, particularly due to the respawning enemies and similar puzzles throughout the game.
- Pacing Issues: The game has been described as having a slow start, with long cutscenes and dialogue that can hinder the pacing of gameplay.
- Stealth Mechanics: The lack of effective stealth options was pointed out as a downside, making it difficult for players who prefer stealth gameplay to navigate encounters.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- More Diverse Enemy Types: Players expressed a desire for a greater variety of enemies to enhance combat encounters.
- Improved Dialogue Options: Many users suggested that better writing and more engaging dialogue would significantly improve the storytelling aspect.
- Enhanced Saving Mechanisms: Some players were frustrated with the limited save points and the potential for losing progress due to bugs or difficulty spikes.
- More Linear Structure: A preference for a more linear narrative experience over the semi-open world design was expressed by some users who felt the open-world elements detracted from the story.
- Stealth Mechanics: As mentioned, a more fleshed-out stealth system would have been appreciated by players looking for varied gameplay strategies.
Summary
- In summary, Atomic Heart has a strong visual and atmospheric appeal, with a compelling story and engaging combat. However, it faces criticism for its dialogue, combat mechanics, pacing, and some repetitive elements, along with a desire for more diverse gameplay options and better writing.
Summary generated on:
GAMERS Score
Average score from 1362 votes. 558 players anticipated the game.
Atomic Heart Description
Atomic Heart is a shooter developed by Russian studio Mundfish. The game, long before its release labeled as "Soviet BioShock", was published by Focus Entertainment.
Plot
Atomic Heart takes place in an alternate history. In the 1940s, the Soviet Union revolutionized the field of robotics thanks to the discoveries of Dimitri Sechenov. As part of the Facility 3826 project, he led the construction of machines connected to a neural network, Kollektiv 1.0, which were not only able to replace humans at many of their jobs, but also significantly accelerated city expansion and improved the citizens' living conditions. Sechenov then proceeded to work on an interface known as Thought, supposed to let humans connect to the Kollektiv network - the official reason being to let them control the robots with their minds and provide them with immediate access to information.
A few days before June 13, 1955, the release date of Kollektiv 2.0, which was supposed to make Sechenov's dream come true, things got out of hand. A malfunction at Facility 3826 causes the machines to rebel against humans. The main protagonist, Major P-3, is dispatched to the site, tasked with eliminating the threat and securing the priceless data before it leaks.
Mechanics
The gameplay of Atomic Heart is shown from the first-person perspective (FPP). Throughout the game we explore the extensive research and testing areas making up the Facility 3826. We must be careful, as death lurks around every corner. We'll face aggressive robots, powerful machines and horrifying mutants. Major P-3 is not defenseless, however - he can wield melee weaponry, a wide range of modern firearms and a special experimental glove providing him supernatural abilities (such as electrocuting enemies). As we progress through the game, all these weapons can be upgraded, letting us face greater challenges.
Nevertheless, achieving our goal is still quite challenging. The enemies can communicate with each other thanks to the Kollektiv system and will call for reinforcements if they spot us. Many of them require solid effort to defeat as well. To succeed, we must carefully observe our enemies in search of weak points and wisely manage resources. Sometimes, rather than go on an all-out offensive, it's better to sneak behind enemies, take them down from hiding and hack security systems.
Technical aspects
The visuals of Atomic Heart are definitely its strong suit. The game runs on the Unreal Engine, featuring detailed area designs, enemy models and realistic lighting.
Last updated on May 17, 2018
Atomic Heart Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Developer: Mundfish
Publisher: Focus Entertainment / Focus Home Interactive
Atomic Heart System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: (30 fps / 1080p) Intel Core i5-2500 3.3 GHz / AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 960 / Radeon R9 380 or better, 90 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: (60 fps / 1080p) Intel Core i5-7600K 3.8 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2 GHz, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce GTX 1080 / Radeon RX 5700 XT or better, 90 GB SSD, Windows 10 64-bit
Ultra: (60 fps / 4K) Intel Core i7-8700K 3.7 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 3.8 GHz, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 10 GB GeForce RTX 3080 / 16 GB Radeon RX 6800 XT or better, 90 GB SSD, Windows 10 64-bit
PlayStation 5
Uses: 60 fps @ 4K
Xbox Series X/S
Uses: XSX: 60 fps @ 4K
Atomic Heart DLC Announced; Adds Vast New Location
Mundfish and Focus Entertainment have announced the Annihilation Instinct DLC for Atomic Heart. The expansion will debut in early August.
video games
Maciej Gaffke
June 27, 2023
Mick Gordon Gives His Commision for Atomic Heart to Ukraine [UPDATE]
Composer Mick Gordon has announced that he has donated his entire commision, which he received for his work on the Atomic Heart soundtrack, to the Australian Red Cross to help Ukraine.
video games
Zuzanna Domeradzka
February 16, 2023
Atomic Heart - Full System Requirements
We learned the full PC system requirements of the upcoming Atomic Heart. We also learned that the game will not support ray tracing at launch on current-gen consoles.
video games
Zuzanna Domeradzka
February 10, 2023
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video games
Hubert Sledziewski
February 8, 2023
Atomic Heart on New 8-minute Gameplay
We are slowly approaching the release of Atomic Heart. In connection with this, the developers have prepared another video from the upcoming game. This time an 8-minute gameplay has hit the web.
video games
Kamil Kleszyk
February 1, 2023
Atomic Heart Gone Gold
Atomic Heart's going gold means that the game will probably be released as planned. It's just a shame that the game's Steam card still doesn't confirm Denuvo implementation.
video games
Jacob Blazewicz
January 26, 2023
Releasing Atomic Heart on Anniversary of Russian Invasion of Ukraine is Wrong
Is the release of a Russian-made game almost exactly on the anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine a good idea? Hardly. Even considering that the date was probably chosen by the Western publisher, it comes across as a bad joke. But there is still a way to get this situation straight.
Opinions
Adam Zechenter
January 19, 2023
Atomic Heart Devs Released Vague Statement on War
In response to Internet users' accusations, the developers of Atomic Heart have published a statement outlining their position on the war in Ukraine. However, it is somewhat lacking.
video games
Hubert Sledziewski
January 16, 2023
14 Minutes of Atomic Heart Gameplay; Combat, Exploration and Puzzles
Extensive gameplay from Atomic Heart, the upcoming game by Mundfish, has hit the web. Internet users have noticed several - in their opinion - annoying flaws present in the game.
video games
Kamil Kleszyk
January 13, 2023
Atomic Heart Co-created by Various Teams; New Trailer Shows Water Features
Mundfish has revealed new details related to Atomic Heart. They show that developers from various countries are working on the title. In addition, we received a trailer showing a number of visual improvements.
video games
Agnes Adamus
January 4, 2023