Atomic Heart - open world first-person shooter set in an alternate universe Soviet Union

[Taim]

You realize that's completely optional, right?

If they retro-actively added that option in, thats good at least. It certainly wasn't an option when the game first came out.

On it's own its not enough to save the game for me though

 

[Luzur]

Looks more to me a tech demo made to promote communism in the West LOL

Soviets making all that stuff and not a single starving bread line to be seen? No innocent pleb being taken into a black van by KGB for not saluting Comrade Stalin hard enough?

 

[Tweed]

as if Clive Barker's Undying didn't completely shit on and embarrass that slow, locked-down dogshit SIX YEARS earlier

"Stuck, jammed, won't budge, stuck, won't budge, stuck, jammed, stuck, jammed"

 

[JDR13]

You realize that's completely optional, right?

If they retro-actively added that option in, thats good at least. It certainly wasn't an option when the game first came out.

On it's own its not enough to save the game for me though

It's been there since v1.1 which was shortly after launch.

I've replayed Bioshock and think it's aged fairly well. It was disappointing back then mostly due to overblown expectations, but it's above average compared most recent shooters. Of course that's not saying much considering how bad most of the are.

 

[cigaretteEnjoyer_despirit]

I got disappointed at first, but now that I accept the game more for what it is, it kind of grows on me. I'm starting to appreciate some of the stuff I did not consciously notice earlier on. Each enemy type has a nice moveset, that makes sense both when you're engaging in melee and ranged. There's potential for applying different playstyles, like melee + crowd control abilities, methodic playstyle where you just adapt to enemy weaknesses and play 'optimally', or just gravitate towards stuff that you like to use. When you're using abilities with one hand, animations for shooting and reloading change since you're wielding weapons one-handed. Weapon upgrades come with visual distinctions. The UI is impeccable as far as modern UIs go. I'm glad that Microsoft picked this up. Hopefully it wont be memory holed like similar AA releases. There's some more ambition to this game than you'd expect. Tereshkova's facility is my favourite, I like the little "backtracking" it has to it, plus all the flavor.

Soviets making all that stuff and not a single starving bread line to be seen? No innocent pleb being taken into a black van by KGB for not saluting Comrade Stalin hard enough?

Beyond the initial premise the game world is pretty dark. The government is just as corrupted and torn by in-fighting as you'd expect.

 

[Yosharian]

I got disappointed at first, but now that I accept the game more for what it is, it kind of grows on me. I'm starting to appreciate some of the stuff I did not consciously notice earlier on. Each enemy type has a nice moveset, that makes sense both when you're engaging in melee and ranged. There's potential for applying different playstyles, like melee + crowd control abilities, methodic playstyle where you just adapt to enemy weaknesses and play 'optimally', or just gravitate towards the stuff that you like to use. When you're using abilities with one hand, animation for shooting and reloading change since you're wielding weapons one-handed. Weapon upgrades come with visual distinctions. The UI is impeccable as far as modern UIs go. I'm glad that Microsoft picked this up. Hopefully it wont be memory holed like similar AA releases. There's some more ambition to this game than you'd expect. Tereshkova's facility is my favourite, I like the little "backtracking" it has to it, plus all the flavor.

Soviets making all that stuff and not a single starving bread line to be seen? No innocent pleb being taken into a black van by KGB for not saluting Comrade Stalin hard enough?

Beyond the initial premise the game world is pretty dark. The government is just as corrupted and torn by in-fighting as you'd expect.

Even in the introduction the game heavily hints that the government is corrupt

 

[cigaretteEnjoyer_despirit]

I've replayed Bioshock and think it's aged fairly well.

I'm replaying it right now and its horrible. Its a shooter with terrible shooting mechanics. The only bits of fun I had was when using plasmids. The little pipe minigame is its highest point.

 

[SharkClub]

Looks more to me a tech demo made to promote communism in the West LOL

Soviets making all that stuff and not a single starving bread line to be seen? No innocent pleb being taken into a black van by KGB for not saluting Comrade Stalin hard enough?

To be fair, it is meant to be a science fiction alternate reality fantasy universe where the Soviets discovered some miracle mineral that solves everything, it kinda implies that real Soviet communism failed because magical unobtainium doesn't exist in real life.

 

[Yosharian]

I replaced the Axe with the Saw Blade

Which weapon is the saw blade?

 

[Ivan]

looking at all the melee weapons, the one with the greatest damage stat. you need to find the mod for its special attack. that's the one that makes mincemeat of enemies.

 

[Renevent]

Been playing for a few hours so far I'm really enjoying the game. The opening intro is absolutely insane, one of the coolest intros and the graphics (everything on ultra) are just flatout amazing. The gameplay itself is excellent. Gunplay feels and sounds great, you get tons of different options all with lots of upgrades and alt modes. Melee is also really good, meaty and hefty and if you do go melee it's not just "whack whack whack" you have to dodge and pay attention to enemy's attacks. Also enjoying the puzzles, some of which are actually pretty difficult (in the "dungeon" areas).

And probably the part I'm enjoying most is just running around exploring, looting, finding secrets/blueprints, and upgrading my character. I was a little worried at the start of the game in the lab, but once it opens up the game really finds it's stride.

I normally don't care much about story/characters but I'm also liking it here. The main character isn't some meek wus like the majority of characters we get these days, and there's a lot of funny interactions (the upgrade bot had me chuckling). Just the overall atmosphere and and attention to detail in pretty much everything really shows it was a labor of love.

The only real negatives I have:

1) Parkour is a little wonky
2) The interface can feel clunk too, though I got used to it
3) Not sure how I like the constantly respawning enemies in the open world. I get not only the in game tech explanation, as well as the gameplay reasons (you can grind for mats), and I even see what they're going for with wanting the player to be stealthy in moving around the world. I kinda wish you could clear out some areas though.

 

[ELEXmakesMeHard]

I found myself looking up & enjoying the DDR Anthem today, and came to the grim realization that I've been compromised by Atomic Heart propaganda!

 

[Ivan]

the flying car song


now if someone can find/acquire the vending machine song....

 

[Naerydan]

Looks more to me a tech demo made to promote communism in the West LOL

Soviets making all that stuff and not a single starving bread line to be seen? No innocent pleb being taken into a black van by KGB for not saluting Comrade Stalin hard enough?

Only someone who obviously didn't play the game would call it made to promote communism in the West.

 

[Late Bloomer]

Poor little euro got his fee fees hurt.





Don't worry everyone! They are taking it out of the game and have apologized for this horrendous ficitonal cartoon character in a fictional game!

"The Mundfish team thanks the PC Gamer contributor for bringing this lack of sensitivity to our attention. We apologize if using the vintage cartoon or music has caused hurt or insult. We will edit the parts in question."

It was only a matter of time before they apologized for something.

Blue Checkmark Twitter Thread

 

[Yosharian]

looking at all the melee weapons, the one with the greatest damage stat. you need to find the mod for its special attack. that's the one that makes mincemeat of enemies.

Is it this one?

https://atomicheart.fandom.com/wiki/Zvezdochka

The special attack you're referring to is where the saw blades fly off and whizz through the air right?

 

[Melcar]

Oh look, someone made Bioshock again.

 

[SharkClub]

Poor little euro got his fee fees hurt.

Don't worry everyone! They are taking it out of the game and have apologized for this horrendous ficitonal cartoon character in a fictional game!

"The Mundfish team thanks the PC Gamer contributor for bringing this lack of sensitivity to our attention. We apologize if using the vintage cartoon or music has caused hurt or insult. We will edit the parts in question."

It was only a matter of time before they apologized for something.

Blue Checkmark Twitter Thread

But I thought the devs were based and redpilled anti-woke warriors because they're Russian? Did the Codex lie to me?

 

[Melcar]

The Codex never lies. It just redacts.

 

[Inhabitants of Khorinis]

Totally russian propaganda



What a broken piece of shit



Fitting end for this garbage

Surprise! The game is a Limbo of the Lost tribute:

 

[Luzur]

the flying car song


now if someone can find/acquire the vending machine song....

Ah, i have a vinyl of her somewhere in the pile, Smooth Operator cover with Soviet stickers

 

[fantadomat]

a better song

 

[Luzur]

 

[Late Bloomer]

 

[gaussgunner]

Oh look, someone made Bioshock again.

Atomshock