The fear of the sentient robots punches you right in the face with their highly damaging attacks, and in swarms, even the basic helper robots could be a force to be reckoned with. The challenging difficulty of Atomic Heart is one of its selling points, as it banks on the current trend to cater to core players.

Additionally, skipping dialog seems to conk out too, with the resulting audio track being sped up to unintelligible gibberish instead of actually skipping it. English is serviceable, but there’s a disconnect between P-3 and his English voice that makes the character sound out of place, and the overall state of the dialog is just tough to stomach. Interestingly, the game is better played with Russian voiceovers, which are well-performed by the cast. Let’s not even talk about the overly thirsty robot you’ll have to deal with when you need to upgrade your weapons and abilities.

There’s also the constant quipping and expository dialogue between P-3 and his AI companion Charles, which may be comparable to Frey in Forspoken, adding to the overall irritation. Their anachronistic terms and “American” way of talking act as quite the wrench, feeling like characters from Serious Sam rather than being on the side of the Soviets. So imagine my cognitive dissonance once the characters started to speak.

The robots are well-designed, and the arsenal you’ll need to face them is equally impressive, all with a cohesive style that communicates a highly accurate depiction of Russia at its peak and what it could be if it achieved technological dominance. The world draws you in with its retro punk designs featuring 1950s Soviet chic seen throughout its robots and great use of lighting to convey an immersive atmosphere.Ītomic Heart grounds you in a sense of place with its interesting lore, found in collectible pocket watches that serve as audio logs that add to the immersion. The visual style of the game is awe-inspiring, portraying a dystopic setting with themes of free will and evolution. Atomic Heart opens up with a lengthy introduction to the world that reminds me of Bioshock Infinite in more ways than one.

Atomic heart game cast