Atomic Heart Analysis – Robotic Utopia in the Soviet Union

Atomic Heart Analysis for Xbox Series X.

About 5 years ago, an unknown Russian studio based in Cyprus was called Mundfish presented to the world atomic heart. This first-person shooter action title has garnered a lot of attention. All thanks to its spectacular staging and a screenplay base that quickly earned it the nickname “the russian bioshock”.

After playing it, I can say that this label is not wrong at all and that we are facing a clear spiritual successor to the work of Irrational games there 2k. However, the game isn’t perfect and sometimes reveals loose gears in this robotic imperialist fantasy. That said, I’m going to pour myself a glass of my best vodka to start this analysis.

Communism 2.0

The story of atomic heart places us in an alternate year 1955, where the Soviet Union emerged victorious from World War II. This triumph stimulated the technological development of this federal state. It has even managed to rise to the rank of first power, feared even by the United States, its greatest rival. The USSR dominates the world thanks to robotics and the discovery of polymer. This mysterious substance allows the interconnection between all kinds of devices and confers certain abilities on whoever uses them. Moreover, it supports practically all the potential of the union of socialist republics.

In this utopia, we will put ourselves in the place of the big P-3, a rude and rude veteran of the war. In the so-called “polymerization day”, chosen for the launch of Collective 2.0 (a neural network or a collective consciousness that will allow people to instantly access all information and control robots with their minds), we are in charge of visiting the complex Vavilov. Our mission is to stop Petrov. Apparently, this disgraced former engineer and programmer is planning to sabotage the launch of the neural network. That’s when everything starts to go downhill.

Do androids dream of electric Kalashnikovs?

To avoid spoilers, I will say that due to an incident, all the robots in this utopian communist fantasy will start attacking us. And these machines do not respect any of Asimov’s three laws of robotics. As soon as they detect us, they will not hesitate to kill us.

To defend himself, our comrade P-3 will first have a shoot the melee. This will have a normal attack with the right trigger and a more powerful heavy attack with the left. But we can also use fire arms like shotguns, pistols or electrified weapons that use the energy we generate to hit a good discharge.

In addition to all this, he will also accompany us Char them. We’re talking about our gauntlet, which has an AI (with a special sense of humor) built in. Charles will not only be our interlocutor and the one who will provide us with information about the world, he will also allow us to use it as a weapon or as a tool to solve puzzles.

“Push that piece of ax into the slot so I’ll make it harder for you”

atomic heart incorporates into its mechanics a strong RPG component. Thanks to norasome sort of robotic fridge with nymphomania issues (I’m not making it up, I swear), we’ll be able to upgrade weapons upgrade them. In addition, we will be able to build new ones that are much more destructive. To do this, we will have to collect the necessary materials, such as parts or even blueprints that will unlock new weapon models for us. This is why it will be very important to search well in each room, setting and corner of the map.

On the other hand, we can also improve char-les or middle finger P-3’s own resistance. With the polymer, we will endow our glove with powers very similar to those given to us by BioShock plasmids. These include a few like throwing lightning, freezing, or telekinetically lifting enemies to knock them down with a bang. Likewise, we can create elementary ammunition fire or electric, for example.

Knowing how to use elemental damage and combining powers well with weapons is extremely important for combat. Each enemy has its strengths and weaknesses that we must discover so that the confrontations do not become arduous for us.

And it is that these fights against robots are sometimes unfairly hard due to the number of enemies that appear on the screen. He shooting it’s good, but not perfect considering the requirement of the game sometimes. Although I also do not exclude that in the PC version of the title the control is more precise when playing with keyboard and mouse.

Open world full of dangers

The urgent need that there is currently to make video games bigger, was surely the reason why it was chosen to include a open world In atomic heart. Exit at Pose 3826, the place where everything happens, is only a pretext to switch between the different buildings of the main plot. The story is quite linear and there are no side missions as such. In addition, these are based on exploring the various complexes in the area in search of materials and blueprints that will help us improve weapons and the polymer glove.

With this, I’m not saying that to explore in the game of Mundfish to be bored. The map is spectacular and has many striking areas that encourage you to visit. Each building has its own puzzles and platforming areas as if we were in it dying light. But performing all of these actions while facing (or avoiding) a massive number of killer robots is sometimes not very rewarding. Even less if we take into account the reward that awaits us after all this ordeal.

Luckily at Mundfish they were also somewhat benevolent and gave us the chance to catch a vehicle and access the scenarios in which the adventure takes place.

Neither gods nor kings, only machines

It is true that comparisons are odious, but it is inevitable not to think about them BioShock every minute we play Atomic Heart. It’s more than obvious that the study was inspired almost entirely by the work of Irrational Games and 2K.

Its grandiose introduction places us in Chielomiey, a utopian city that embraced communism. Soviet ideals are the order of the day and we can see at any time a happy society, with an almost infinite and dreamed subsistence of equal conditions. A peaceful boat ride through a canal allows us to contemplate the gigantic buildings and huge statues that represent communist leaders such as Lenin oh Stalin. As the streets fill with balloons and confetti, retro-futuristic robots clean up or amuse passers-by. There isn’t even a parade with dozens of mechanized beings marching past the masses with a marching band in the background. A show of power that is very reminiscent of the floating city of Colombia In Bioshock Infinite.

But this dream turns into a nightmare when the robots rebel. It is here that we will begin to explore the bowels of the Pose 3826. A botanical lab full of mutants that seem to come out of To fall, dark corridors with corpses of workers hanging from the ceiling or a gigantic theater are some of the scenarios through which we will pass. All maintain an atmosphere of tension through unfamiliar noises and music, which escalates whenever there is danger nearby.

Moreover, as in Rapture, on the walls we will find propaganda posters, banners and warnings that will provide information about the plot or where we are. There are even voice recordings.

Eventually

atomic heart is a first-person shooter with RPG elements that, while not perfect, paves the way for possible future installments. Mundfish managed to create a very attractive story, inspired by the great classics of science fiction and setting a framework utopian robotic world in the 1950s ruled by the Soviet Union. If we add to all this the spectacular engine Unreal Engine 4we find ourselves in front of a title which Get muscle with its graphic section. The lighting, reflections, and post-processing effects will leave us speechless and mask the occasional bug in scene loadings quite well.

But it is clear that there are still several details to refine, we will not deny it. Its colorful open world is marked by the absence of secondary missions and disproportionate number of enemies. Even with all this we are faced with an entertaining and challenging game that will surprise us with its oppressive atmosphere, its bizarre characters and its particular sense of humor. If you are a fan of the BioShock saga, do not hesitate to try this game also available since its launch on Game pass. Go over there and kill all those charred bastards, will you?