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Mundfish, founded in 2017, is quickly establishing itself as a standout developer with its first game, Atomic Heart. Set in an alternate reality where the Soviet Union developed a top-secret program centered on advanced robots and artificial intelligence, this single-player first-person shooter offers a gripping narrative of what happens when things go awry.
From the moment you start playing, Atomic Heart offers a wealth of intriguing elements, including a distinctive concept, a richly-detailed setting, and a compelling protagonist.
Atomic Heart Review
The game’s central story line and distinctive design features suggest that it has significant potential, but as you progress, you’ll begin to notice that the game lingers too long on both its strengths and weaknesses, eventually wearing out its welcome and leaving players with few positive takeaways.
Frozen heart
Playing as Major P-3, a Soviet intelligence agent tasked with investigating the cause of the USSR’s robotic creations turning against their human creators, players must unravel the mysteries of the secret project as they progress through Atomic Heart.
While Atomic Heart boasts a highly-detailed alternate universe that blends mid-1900s technology with anachronistic advancements, I found the game’s heavy themes of Russian nationalism to be uncomfortable at times.
Although I don’t believe the game’s developers intended to send a message, the pro-Russian material and USSR parades may be off-putting to some players in light of recent events in Ukraine.
Despite this, Atomic Heart’s immersive and fleshed-out world bears similarities to the Bioshock franchise, with players stopping to examine the environment and audio tapes to learn more about the universe.
This is aided by an excellent soundtrack by Mick Gordon that enhances the cinematic feel of battles and creates an eerie atmosphere during quiet moments.
No affection wasted
Atomic Heart’s gameplay goes above and beyond the expectations for a standard shooter. The shooting mechanics are satisfying and impactful, with a wide range of weapons to discover and craft, each with its own unique feel.
Mundfish has also introduced clever additional elements to the combat system, requiring players to remain in constant motion and use quick-time events to evade or counter incoming attacks.
Ammunition is scarce in the game, so players must also rely on melee combat. The axe is a particularly effective tool, with realistic physics that allows for precise and devastating strikes. Players can even dismember enemies and revel in the gory aftermath of a hard-won battle.
Major P-3’s Polymer glove adds a layer of combat strategy, allowing players to harness electricity and telekinetic powers to defeat foes. The game encourages experimentation with different weapons and abilities, allowing players to feel like unstoppable forces on the battlefield.
Overall, Atomic Heart’s gameplay is a true standout, offering a satisfying mix of intense combat, clever mechanics, and strategic decision-making.
Also Read: Atomic Heart: Price,Game pass, Release Date, System Requirements, Trailer, Controversy
Devices of hostility
When I played Atomic Heart on the Normal difficulty setting, I found the combat to be quite challenging. Some segments and boss battles required several attempts to complete, but it was satisfying to finally emerge victorious.
Crafting and upgrading play a significant role in Atomic Heart’s gameplay. By discovering recipes, you can create new weapons and ammunition, which can then be enhanced with attachments to increase their accuracy, rate of fire, and power.
Crafting materials can be found by rummaging through containers such as drawers and cabinets. The game also has a robust RPG system with multiple skill trees to unlock and upgrade, allowing Major P-3 to improve his abilities in both combat and stealth.
As I explored Facility 3826, I was impressed by the diverse puzzles that were presented. Whether I was unlocking doors or bypassing security systems, the puzzles required memorization and skill rather than feeling like repetitive tasks.
Although the robotic enemies were intimidating and eerie, I would have appreciated more variety in the types of enemies encountered. Most of the adversaries in the game are humanoid robots, which can become repetitive after a while.
The truth comes out
Atomic Heart is an exceptional FPS campaign that’s hard to top. It boasts both engaging gameplay and a fascinating storyline, with a skill system that’s satisfying to upgrade. It’s worth noting that this is the debut title from Mundfish, which makes the game’s success even more impressive.
While there are a few minor downsides, such as the lack of enemy variety and some themes that could be divisive, these issues are hardly game-breaking.
Atomic Heart Review: Pros & Cons
Pros
- “Satisfying gameplay” – This means that the game’s mechanics and controls are well-designed and enjoyable to play. The gameplay provides a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment to the player.
- “Intelligent enigmas” – This means that the puzzles in the game are well-designed and require the player to use their intelligence and critical thinking skills to solve them. The puzzles are creative and challenging, and provide a sense of accomplishment when solved.
- “Complex enhancement structure” – This means that the game has a complex and detailed system for upgrading the player’s character, weapons, and other items. The upgrade system allows the player to customize their gameplay experience and improve their abilities.
- “Intriguing story” – This means that the game’s narrative is interesting and compelling, and keeps the player engaged and invested in the game’s world and characters. The story may contain plot twists, interesting characters, and thought-provoking themes.
Cons
- Some players may find the game’s pro-Russian themes uncomfortable: The game’s themes are related to Soviet era Russia, which may not appeal to some players or make them uncomfortable.
- The game features a limited variety of enemies: The game mostly features humanoid robots as enemies, with not much variation, which may make the gameplay feel repetitive for some players.
Atomic Heart: Rating
The game’s marketing has generated buzz due to its curvaceous, anonymous Soviet robots, but in reality, it’s a title that aspires to follow in Bioshock’s footsteps, yet falls short of that mark.
Opinions on this game are sharply divided. It’s not a case of everyone agreeing on a mediocre score – there are definite positives.
Atomic Heart is a remarkable game that lives up to all of the hype and expectations, making it a strong contender for Game of the Year in 2023.
Mundfish has delivered an incredible debut game that excels in every aspect, making it difficult to pinpoint a few standout features. This game has undoubtedly become one of my all-time favorites, not just of the year, but of the past decade.
And there are lows:
Atomic Heart attempts to tackle numerous ambitious concepts, but it ultimately falls short in executing the fundamentals. The game’s story is perplexing, the combat lacks substance, and the first-person platforming segments are irksome.
Atomic Heart is evidently influenced by other video games, but it fails to leave its own distinct mark and falls short of its potential.
Despite some promising combat mechanics and supporting systems like skills, crafting, and upgrades, Atomic Heart also suffers from several frustrating aspects that detract from the overall experience.
There is hope that the developer can address some of these issues through post-launch updates, but currently, the game falls short of being a revolutionary success and instead feels like a disaster.
Reviews for the game are divided, so it’s best to consider the opinions of trusted sources before making a decision. The writer personally does not feel compelled to play the game, as the marketing and lackluster reviews do not appeal to them. A trusted reviewer, Skillup, does not recommend the game.
We’ll see what fans think once the game is in the wild. Stay tuned for that.
The version of Atomic Heart that was reviewed here was provided by the publisher and played on a PlayStation 5. The game is set to release on February 21 for multiple platforms, including PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PS4, and PS5.