Atomine

Release Date: May 4, 2017

Action, roguelike, isometric view, arcade elements, shooters, singleplayer

6.3

OpenCritic

75%

Steam

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Three-dimensional, isometric twin-stick shooter, characterized by minimalistic graphic design, high speed of action and high simplicity of gameplay. The game offers randomly generated boards.

Plot
Mechanics
Game modes
Technical aspects

Atomine, released on PS4, PC, etc., is a 3D twin-stick shooter. The game is characterized by very dynamic action, simplicity of gameplay and minimalistic setting. The game was developed by the independent studio Broken Arms Games (known from Kaboom Monsters).

Plot

In 2011, Sergey Ulasen discovered STUXNET, a malicious computer virus that initially spread through Microsoft Windows and was designed to affect industrial control systems. STUXNET was the first discovered case of malware that spies on and sabotages such targets. The virus attacked, for example, nuclear power plants and drilling systems. The title Atomine, like STUXNET, is a virus that needs to become stronger to reach the right source code and eventually infect it.

Mechanics

The action in Atomine is observed from an isometric perspective. The gameplay is about going through randomly generated levels and eliminating the enemies (their types depend on the map) - thanks to this we open a portal that allows us to go further. From time to time, we have to face a powerful boss. In addition, the developers have implemented an interesting Counter Hacking mechanic, which makes sudden changes on the map, forcing the player to adapt to the new situation.

The pace of the game is very fast and the level of difficulty is quite high, especially since the hero's death forces us to start playing from the beginning. As long as we are alive, we gain modules that we can use to improve our weapons (you can influence the type of projectiles, their number, shooting speed and the like). We also find other items that make it easier to complete levels.

Game modes

Atomine has a single-player mode only.

Technical aspects

Atomine has simple 3D graphics done in a minimalist style. Both the presented world and the character models resemble single-colored blocks. The whole is made more attractive by the lighting system and post-processing effects.

Last updated on February 17, 2020

Videos and Screens

[0:58] Atomine launch trailer

6.3

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 23% of Critics. There are 7 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Nintendo Life: 7 / 10 by Gonçalo Lopes

ATOMINE delivers a solid albeit somehow mundane interpretation of the twin-stick shooter that will still satisfy those with cravings for something new within the realm of the genre but will probably not convert any newcomers to the format. We still give it a recommendation despite feeling that while polished, its premise might have allowed for a more extravagant visual experience. Hack away humble little program, hack away.

Full Review

NintendoWorldReport: 5 / 10 by Joel DeWitte

undefined.I find myself having a hard time recommending Atomine to anyone but those looking for a repetitive game and feel like the different ways in which you shoot the enemies isn't enough to sate your interest in a twin-stick shooter. I understand there are those who appreciate the feedback loop of going through a run, seeing how far you can go, and then trying to do better in your next run, but that alone wasn't enough to keep me engaged in this one.

Full Review

Nindie Spotlight: 7 / 10 by Nindie Spotlight

If you're a die hard twin-stick shooting fan Atomine is a bit of a breath of fresh air among the offerings already available. Its more arcade-like sensibilities make it a bit more friendly to pick up and play and the runs tend to be on the quicker side, though if you get rolling it can take a bit. More mainstream gamers who're in search of a shooter to check out may find there are better examples of the genre on the Switch but could find the relative simplicity of it all appealing, especially in handheld more where its more chunky look works well on the smaller screen. If you're looking for a very cyberpunk-looking twin-stick experience it is worth a look.

Full Review

75%