Atomic Heart is an action-adventure first-person shooter game developed by Russian studio Mundfish. The game takes the player into the heart of Communist Russia, in a world where technological advancement allowed the Soviets to harness unimaginable powers. The player's character, known only under codename P-3, is sent to a remote facility suddenly gone dark. The game blends the mechanics of action-RPG and survival-horror, giving the player options of dealing with encountered enemies in multiple ways. The initial response to Atomic Heart has been mostly positive.

Gameplay

Atomic Heart's gameplay focuses equally on combat and RPG mechanics. While exploring the area of the defunct facility, the player will find resources to craft makeshift melee weapons. The resources can be obtained from almost every element of the environment and even from the bodies of the fallen enemies. Aside from that, the player will also be able to use different firearms.

The mutated enemies in the game come in different shapes and sizes, and sometimes going in hot won't be the best option. In such instances, the player can rely on stealth to deal with the enemies quietly. The foes share a collective consciousness through the hivemind called the Kollektiv, summoning reinforcement immediately after being attacked. This will require the player to carefully plan their actions to minimize the chances of being overwhelmed.

Atomic Heart Story

In an alternate timeline, highly advanced technologies such as the Internet and holograms have been developed earlier than in our world. It is the year 1995, and USSR is trying to gain the upper hand over the US using clandestine facilities producing top-secret weaponry. When one of them goes silent, KGB sends their top operative, an agent codenamed P-3, to investigate. As P-3 explores the abandoned research stations and test sites, they will discover more about the facility's purpose and the reasons it went dark so suddenly.

Reception

Atomic Heart was met with a positive initial reception. The trailer, which presented elements of gameplay and the plot outline, was released in July of 2018 and immediately won the audience over with its climate and setting. Many commenters compared Mundfish's game to Irrational Games' BioShock series, dubbing it the "Soviet BioShock."

Key features

• Investigate a defunct research base and find out the reasons behind it going dark
• Face hivemind mutants that have taken over the facility
• Use melee weapons and firearms to fend off the enemies
• Collect resources to craft and upgrade your arsenal
• Enjoy the energetic soundtrack created by Mick Gordon, who composed the score for Doom and Doom Eternal