Atomic Heart (Xbox Series X|S)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
- Release Date (NA): February 21, 2023
- Release Date (EU): February 21, 2023
- Publisher: Focus Entertainment
- Developer: Mundfish
- Genres: Action RPG
- Also For: Computer, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Game Features:
Major Sergey Nechayev from the USSR Intelligence Service owes a lot to the visionary scientist Dr Dmitry Sechenov; afterall, he not only saved his life but his scientific breakthroughs have helped the USSR gain the upper hand in World War II and led the society to prosper.
However, on the eve of the launch of a new breakthrough that aims to further technologically enhance the life of USSR residents, a widespread malfunction emerges in Facility 3826, the secret military base that houses the new technology. When Dr Sechenov tasks Major Nechayev, aka Agent P-3, to investigate the apparent sabotage, the latter does not hesitate for a second. But his mission leads him to slowly uncover the layers of secrecy behind the veil of utopia and technological advancements.
From a utopian USSR, with love
Atomic Heart’s personal highlight is its setting. The reimagining of the USSR in 1955 where scientific achievements have led to mass adoption of automation in society is vividly presented from the outset.
It's not just the cinematic cutscenes but also the game's explorable environment. Hovering vending machines, robot street performers and holographic video calls are well integrated aspects of the Soviet routine. To get to Facility 3826, a Riding Turbine robot attaches itself to Agent P-3's car and literally flies it out to the destination. Once there, he encounters all sorts of experiments from cows in vats to killer chicken as he explores his new surroundings.
The apparent utopia in the opening sequence to the chaos erupting in the Facility is intricately depicted from scene to scene and the level of detail wowed me throughout the game, especially given that I was playing on the Xbox Series S. Visually, Atomic Heart is among the most appealing games I’ve played on the system; and it’s quite impressive given that this is the first title from developer Mundfish. The team crafted a universe that brims with life of its alternate history.
Despite the controversy among certain circles regarding the game's funding from alleged pro-Russian government investors, Atomic Heart's plot is not shy of critiquing the facade behind the utopian USSR that it puts forth. As Major Nechayev progresses through his quest, he unveils layers of deceit behind the political machinations and actions of unscrupulous figures that are costing the lives of civilians in the country with the risk of a worldwide escalation.
While I would have preferred to play the game in the Russian language with English subtitles, the latter are very small and aren’t adjustable. Even if the developers recommend playing with the Russian dub, I could not do so even if I wanted to and I hope they do add an option to increase the subtitle font size.
Gameplay with an atomic heart
It'll be easy to compare Atomic Heart's gameplay to titles such as Bioshock or Prey. And while they do share similarities given that they are of the action RPG genre, the gameplay of Mundfish's debut title stands on its own.
In addition to melee and ranged weapons, Agent P-3 wears an AI-equipped glove that packs special abilities. The latter's skills can be upgraded to provide you with abilities such as generating electric shocks and temporarily lifting enemies.
Coupled with Agent P-3's own skill tree, crafting mechanics and mixing offensive and stealth approaches, Atomic Heart offers a decent range of gameplay styles. It even encourages you to try different approaches as your skill points can be redistributed without penalties.
Some combat sequences play out in terrific scenes such as battling hordes of mutants while waiting for a ballet performance to end. There are of course boss battles against various types of robots that offer a fair challenge that will get you to put your skillset and arsenal to use in creative ways in order to emerge victorious. Combats against the lackeys also feel balanced, but the enemies feel repetitive as they are essentially the same robots, drones
Aside from the combat, as a story-driven title, Atomic Heart revolves around exploration and learning more about Facility and its colourful cast of characters. Exploration in Mundfish’s first game is best at its weirdest. Early on you encounter a gun-friendly grandma who resides in a flying house. Midway through the game there’s a quest to find items that represent values of a Soviet citizen to a receptionist robot so that she can open the door ahead. Later on, there’s a dream-like sequence where you progress as a fluffy giant through scenes frozen in time. At other times, you get to drive a car while hordes of robots gone haywire are chasing after you. These were among the most memorable and original quests of the game that even had a Kojima-esque flair to them.
While exploring, you’ll also get to flesh out more of the lore from mail logs and recordings. However, exposition of the lore and backstories are too reliant on the conversation with CHAR-les the talking glove. This doesn’t feel very much engaging and feels more like a “quick fix” placeholder for the narrative rather than a well-paced one.
That said, exploration often pays off. Not only do you get to learn more about the game’s universe but also find items for upgrades as well as blueprints for new weapons and accessories.
However, a flashlight would have been welcome during Agent P-3’s quest. Certain areas are noticeably dark and these don’t only involve light puzzle segments, but combat as well. A flashlight or brighter environment would have been of welcome assistance in those cases.
Should a comrade explore this new universe?
Atomic Heart isn’t perfect. The narrative exposition and pacing could have been better executed and enemy types could be more varied. These are understandable downers for some but if you're willing to overlook these, you'll find in Atomic Heart an undeniably gorgeous-looking game that flows well (no loading screens) and presents an original universe. I’d recommend it to people looking for something different to try, akin to Ghostwire: Tokyo. Not perfect, but a memorable experience. And given it is Mundfish’s first game, it gives a positive outlook of what the team is capable of delivering.
Atomic Heart - Launch Trailer
Verdict
- Original universe
- Impressively detailed environment
- Engaging gameplay
- Narrative exposition relies too much on conversation with the talking glove
- Limited enemy types
- Tiny subtitle font that can't be adjusted
