Back in May 2018, a then-new game developer called Mundfish unveiled an intriguing original IP by the name of Atomic Heart. This game is set in an alternate world where USSR not only survived but thrived to create a seemingly utopian society where man is living in peace with advanced robots serving them daily.
However, one of the robotics research facilities responsible for the USSR’s scientific advancements has suddenly gone dark and it falls to the player to investigate why. Little do they know that the robots at this facility have gone mad and gruesome, terrifying creatures now lurk within its halls.
This game is scheduled to release on Feb. 21, 2023, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. So, while you prepare to quell this robotic revolution, here is everything you need to know on Atomic Heart.
What is Atomic Heart?
Atomic Heart is an upcoming first-person action-adventure game developed by Mundfish and published by Focus Entertainment. The story takes place in an alternate version of 1950’s Russia where the USSR ushered in a golden age of technology thanks to state-of-the-art robot servants powered by a neural network called the “Kollectiv” and a new energy resource dubbed Polymer.
However, all is not well in this technological paradise as one of the research facilities developing these machines, Facility 3826, has suddenly gone silent and cut off contact with the outside world. Not wanting an international incident to occur days before an updated version of the Kollectiv is released to the public, the USSR assigns Sergey Nechaev (codenamed P-3), a veteran KGB agent to investigate the facility.
When Sergey arrives, he discovers that all the robots at the facilities have mysteriously gone rogue and have begun performing sickening biological experiments on the researchers, turning them into mindless abominations. Now, our KGB agent must fight his way through these science experiments gone wrong, find out the cause of this disaster and prevent it from becoming public knowledge.
Atomic Heart gameplay: What is it like?
The gameplay of Atomic Hearts is that of a first-person shooter and an adventure game where you be exploring the ravaged robotics facility, gathering up clues to solve its mysteries and contend with the mechanical and biological menaces that lie within.
Combat will involve blasting your enemies away using a varied arsenal of guns and smashing them to bits with melee weapons. There will also be a crafting system where you use materials from the environment to craft make-shift weapons and augment their traits to suit your playstyle.
In addition to guns and melee weapons, Sergey is equipped with a special Polymer glove that allows him to perform supernatural abilities like encasing enemies in ice, shooting lightning bolts, or even manipulating gravity.
You will need to master your weapons and use them sparingly as ammo is scarce and the enemies are numerous. There are many hideous, malformed beasts prowling the hallways of this once-peaceful Facility 3826, ready to rip you to shreds if you’re not careful. As for the rogue machines, they are just as lethal as not only are they armed with deadly weapons, but they can also use the Kollectiv Neural Network to summon their brethren and gang up on you.
If you wish to survive, you must constantly adapt your battle strategy for each adversary. Some enemies will require brute force to bring down, while others require a stealthier approach so you don’t alert more of their kind to your presence.
Atomic Heart: What are the PC Specs?
The system requirements for the PC version of Atomic Heart are as follows:
| Minimum requirements |
|---|
| Operating System: Windows 10 (20H1 version or newer, 64-bit versions) |
| Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600 (3.GHz) or Intel Core i5-4460 (3.1GHz) (AVX, AVX2 and SSE 4.2 support required) |
| Memory: 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics: AMD Radeon R9 380 (4GB) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (4GB) DirectX: Version 12 |
| DirectX: Version 12 |
| Storage: 90GB available space |
| Recommended requirements |
|---|
| Operating System: Windows 10 (20H1 version or newer, 64-bit versions) |
| Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (3.8GHz) or Intel Core i7-7700 (3.6GHz) (AVX, AVX2 and SSE 4.2 support required) |
| Memory: 16GB RAM |
| Graphics: AMD RX Vega 64 (8GB) or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB) |
| DirectX: Version 12 |
| Storage: 90GB available space |
Atomic Heart: Will the Xbox version come to Xbox Game Pass?
The Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One versions of Atomic Heart will be added to Xbox Game Pass on the day it launches.
Atomic Heart: Are there any Pre-order bonuses or special editions?
There is a pre-order bonus where pre-ordering a copy of Atomic Heart will net you exclusive Swede and Electro Weapon Skins.
In addition to the standard edition of Atomic Heart (which only contains the base game), there will be multiple special editions available for purchase: Gold, Premium, and the Limited Edition Bundle.
The Gold Edition contains the base game, the exclusive Polymer Glove Skin, and the Atomic Pass which will grant players access to upcoming DLC expansions featuring areas, weapons, bosses, and more.
The Premium Edition contains the content of the Gold Edition, exclusive Zvezdochka and AK Weapon Skins, and a digital artbook with additional background information on Atomic Heart’s development.
The Limited Edition Bundle is a Focus Entertainment Store exclusive that contains the base game, a Steelbook, a metal poster, and an official artbook created by the developers.
Atomic Heart release date
Atomic Hearts is scheduled to launch on Feb. 21, 2023, for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam, Windows Store, and the Focus Store.
Are you ready to fight the dark side of technology?
Atomic Heart is shaping up to be one of the most bloody, disturbing, and yet over-the-top action games to come out in recent years. Its gritty, retro-futuristic setting is reminiscent of classic titles like Bioshock, Fallout, and Metro but the ultra-violent and adrenaline pumping-combat harkens to action shooters like DOOM.
What compounds the latter’s inspiration is that Mick Gordon, the main composer behind DOOM (2016), Doom Eternal, Killer Instinct (2013), and more, will be lending his musical talents to Atomic Heart’s soundtrack to get the player’s blood boiling as they run and gun their way through the Kollectiv.
With its striking visuals and promising, bombastic gameplay, Atomic Heart may have a chance at becoming one of the best Xbox games. We will have to wait to see if this game reaches its potential when Atomic Heart releases on Feb. 21, 2023.
