After an hour or so of linear play, Atomic Heart becomes an open-world game, but it feels like an afterthought. The confusion only continues in the game’s equally bizarre structure. Unfortunately, with combat more suited to hyperactive, Doom-esque arena fights and a truly useless stealth system, it’s more of an action game in BioShock’s clothing. In fleeting moments, an intriguing immersive sim leaks through the cracks, filling dungeons with puzzles and lore-supplying PCs. Outside of its cerebral-boring writing, Mundfish’s gameplay systems are just as disappointing. The character even has his own catchphrase - “crispy critters!” - that he says far too many times for it to be enjoyable. The failed comedy duo talk so much that they interrupt their own lines with new dialogue, slicing up essential exposition with swear-filled one-liners that are at best poorly translated and at worst pure nonsense. Instead, Nechaev talks almost constantly alongside his AI-powered glove Charles. After your first couple of meetings with this machine, the game just forgets about its horny personality altogether.Ītomic Heart’s B-movie story may have been more forgivable if its protagonist was silent, a lá Jack from BioShock. After that, you’ll get attacked by a sexed-up vending machine called Nora that spits euphemisms more than a llama on clozapine. In twenty minutes, you’ll have been involved in a cinematic explosive knockback four times. ![]() In your first minutes within Facility 3826, you’ll be blown up twice. Rather unexpectedly, Atomic Heart is less of an intelligent look at Soviet socialism and reliance on automation and more of a straight-to-DVD parody of a more sophisticated idea. The stakes are high but poorly explained failing your mission could collapse the world’s Soviet-led communist Utopia. Playing as special operations soldier Major Sergei Nechaev, you’re tasked with investigating a robot uprising within the isolated Facility 3826 before the launch of Kollectiv, a worldwide thought device that will let humans telepathically control machines. + 4 On occasion, Atomic Heart comes together in beautiful spectacle, but every moment of gold is buried beneath hours of slag. Its brutalist, Stalinist visuals may adorn the eyes, but it’s a layer of gloss lacquer over one of the dullest, buggiest and most annoying action games of the past decade. Instead of picking its battles, the fledgling development team has made a game full of so many bits and pieces that it fails to keep track of it all. It turns out that developer Mundfish has decided to make all of the above. Is it an open-world game or a linear shooter? Is it Doom Eternal or BioShock? Is it a corny B-movie or a political thriller? It’s a game that feels confused in every aspect of design other than its visuals. ![]() As striking as a current-gen BioShock Infinite, Mundfish’s FPS infuriatingly disappoints in every aspect outside of its stunning aesthetic.Īfter five years of hype, Atomic Heart’s gorgeous art direction and unique setting are woefully wasted by clunky gameplay and horrendous writing. Atomic Heart launches for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on February 21, 2023.Set in an alternate 1950s where the Soviet Union is the largest world power, Atomic Heart offers one of the most visually distinct worlds in gaming. While it’s unknown if the rest of the game will hold up compared to the intro, the first hour or so sets the bar high, leaving us excited for what’s to come. As the old lady defends you from an absolutely horrifying enemy, you take refuge in an underground complex - leading into the first main portion of the game.Įverything leading up to this point is shrouded with mystery and intrigue, and is just flat-out fun, thanks to the bombardment of ridiculous things the game throws at you. The game does an impressive job with scale during this segment, while throwing in some humor to lighten the mood - all as you’re fighting for your life. This character is an old lady who wields an assault rifle, which is just as ridiculous as it sounds. This is when the game introduces you to its combat, pitting you against creepy robots before you come across another human character (finally) who ends up saving your life. Without spoiling too much, suffice to say the events that transpire are explosive and action-packed. ![]() Getting to see Facility 3826 from the sky is truly a memorable sight, making the events that follow even more powerful.
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