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

[Yosharian]

Also regarding dialogue I must have a broken sense of humour then because I've been laughing quite a lot at the dialogue. At first the main character's bad attitude seemed a bit cringe and off-putting, but as I've gotten used to him I've begun to appreciate it a bit. I typically hate voiced protagonists but the interplay between him and the glove actually gets quite entertaining, and his asshole attitude is at least refreshing compared to the stupid shit we usually get served by videogame writers (plus I have a feeling it is going to pay off later). The gun upgrade fridge is obvious humour, sure, and a bit cringe, but the sheer insanity of it actually got me chuckling a few times.

I think most of the negative reactions here are coming from people that have watched a few minutes of footage and jumped to conclusions about it, and I can't 100% blame them for that, but you should give the game a chance and experience things in-game and in context before you judge it so harshly.

 

[Yosharian]

(even though the cracks were showing if you looked closely due to the limited number of human skins in the crowd).

Two things disappointed me about this section of the game, firstly the bit where the crowd is cheering and clapping, none of the NPCs actually do anything, they're not animated and don't clap or anything. Secondly there is a bit where the NPCs are taking a photograph and if you stand behind the people getting photographed, you're not in the photo. Yeah, this developer isn't Valve or anything.

Still, as you say it was a very impressive opening.

 

[Achiman]

If it's even a 1/2 way decent shooter I'm going to play it. What else is there?

Depends on how many retro throwback boomershooters you can stomach.

I tried playing Dusk and Ion Fury. They both give me instant motion sickness.
Plus for FPS I am unashamedly a graphics whore. FPS should have amazing graphics because of the forced perspective and higher level of detail (leading to more immersion) that can be conveyed in levels.

 

[GreyViper]

Ah yes, the fridge, really awkward and forced cringe. If someone knows what part of Russian culture or novel this is referring to, id be interested to know. Probably put in by a millennials who thought that bit would be funny, gave me a flashback to Wolfenstein Youngblood.

 

[Wunderbar]

Probably put in by a millennials who thought that bit would be funny

pretty much this game in a nutshell.

They gave AK a picatinny rail to make it look tacticool even though picatinny rail is an american system introduced in the 80s. Main character holds pistol at an angle because John Wick and CoD MW character were holding it like that, even though center axis relock is a modern shooting stance invented for american police. Main character constantly swears and speaks like a lowlife, despite being a high ranking KGB officer. Most of the references in the game aren't from 50s/60s soviet stuff, but rather from hollywood action movies and modern videogames. Even the soundtrack is largely comprised of remixes of soviet songs from the 80s, i.e. something the devs used to hear over the radio back when they were kids.

 

[Alienman]

Main character holds pistol at an angle because John Wick and CoD MW character were holding it like that

I thought it reminded me of that FPS movie, Henry something. The hand and camera movement.

 

[JDR13]

I can't say the level design has been shockingly good or anything

Pun intended?

 

[Yosharian]

They gave AK a picatinny rail to make it look tacticool even though picatinny rail is an american system introduced in the 80s.

Main character holds pistol at an angle because John Wick and CoD MW character were holding it like that, even though center axis relock is a modern shooting stance invented for american police.

Nobody cares. Also, he only holds the gun slightly to the side when idle, when firing he brings the gun to the centre and holds it normally. So it's not really a center axis relock stance. IMO, it's more about keeping the pistol out of the way when not aiming, so that it doesn't obscure the player's view so much.

Spoiler

Main character constantly swears and speaks like a lowlife, despite being a high ranking KGB officer.

Yes it would be so much more fun if he was a boring straight-laced KGB guy. You must be fun at parties.

Most of the references in the game aren't from 50s/60s soviet stuff, but rather from hollywood action movies and modern videogames. Even the soundtrack is largely comprised of remixes of soviet songs from the 80s, i.e. something the devs used to hear over the radio back when they were kids.

Looks like you weren't paying attention.

Spoiler

 

[Yosharian]

gave me a flashback to Wolfenstein Youngblood.

I don't know what game you are playing but nothing in this game, even the dumb fridge, is anywhere close to fucking Wolfenstein Youngblood. Like what the actual fuck are you talking about.

 

[Modron]

This game is Biocock but with Borderlands dialogue.

It's clearly farcry meets bioshock and everybit as boring, from the sound of it, as that implies.

 

[cigaretteEnjoyer_despirit]

Also regarding dialogue I must have a broken sense of humour then because I've been laughing quite a lot at the dialogue. At first the main character's bad attitude seemed a bit cringe and off-putting, but as I've gotten used to him I've begun to appreciate it a bit. I typically hate voiced protagonists but the interplay between him and the glove actually gets quite entertaining, and his asshole attitude is at least refreshing compared to the stupid shit we usually get served by videogame writers (plus I have a feeling it is going to pay off later). The gun upgrade fridge is obvious humour, sure, and a bit cringe, but the sheer insanity of it actually got me chuckling a few times.

I think most of the negative reactions here are coming from people that have watched a few minutes of footage and jumped to conclusions about it, and I can't 100% blame them for that, but you should give the game a chance and experience things in-game and in context before you judge it so harshly.

That's my opinion as well. A lot of the criticism seems to me like something people want to throw at other games, but somehow end up addressing at this game, since its not protected by hype so much, so they feel more emboldened(although this probably does not apply to this place ). The protagonists lines mostly fit the game and dont come off as cringe when you're actually playing, and even the fridge has its place. Plus its a rare occurence of devs putting in a female character thats aggressively submissive. It usually goes the opposite way nowadays, but you know, in the end its just a fridge, not a human character.

The glove comes off as a really nice addition. Its not a 'rick and morty' funny awkward character, although thats how they presented it in promo material. There is a moment mid-game where it has a deus-ex like dialogues with PC about governing, responsibility of the ruler, intricacies of democracy, and it reasonably addresses common criticism these receive. Its not very deep but I feel like this is the highest point of the game, way above what western devs could muster. Especially since the way its discussed fits the lore, so instead of the government its 'the Party', etc. This is basic stuff, but again, this kind of elementary flexibility is unknown to the western writer.

In general I think the game is mid. Its a 6/10 gamepass release. But it does some things right. My biggest gripe is that the story is based on a ridiculous premise, namely that robots with combat functions, centrally steered by a hostile power, could be exported to enemy countries. Other than that it maintains some coherency until the very last sequences. The endings are 'bad' and 'worse' which is classic russian nonsense and does not offer a rewarding conclusion like a game should.

Probably put in by a millennials who thought that bit would be funny

Even the soundtrack is largely comprised of remixes of soviet songs from the 80s, i.e. something the devs used to hear over the radio back when they were kids.

They have a plausible in-game explanation for this, that dabbles in time paradoxes. Not too gracefully imo.

Main character holds pistol at an angle because John Wick and CoD MW character were holding it like that

I thought it reminded me of that FPS movie, Henry something. The hand and camera movement.

Hardcore Henry?

 

[Wunderbar]

They gave AK a picatinny rail to make it look tacticool even though picatinny rail is an american system introduced in the 80s.

nobody cares.

devs didn't care alright.

Main character constantly swears and speaks like a lowlife, despite being a high ranking KGB officer.

Yes it would be so much more fun if he was a boring straight-laced KGB guy. You must be fun at parties.

it breaks one's immersion.

Imagine a scifi game set in the 50s America where you play as a CIA agent. Does he look like a current day hipster with an undercut? Does he also speak like a nigger? No, I bet he looks like this

Spoiler

The protagonist being a no-nonsense serious straight man who gets into the wild shit and has to keep it cool is an underrated trope, would be nice to have one for a change.

Most of the references in the game aren't from 50s/60s soviet stuff, but rather from hollywood action movies and modern videogames. Even the soundtrack is largely comprised of remixes of soviet songs from the 80s, i.e. something the devs used to hear over the radio back when they were kids.

Looks like you weren't paying attention.

Spoiler

post-factum explanation. Devs wanted newer music they used to listen to instead of the retro stuff for the boomers, so they licensed the newer music and then came up with some half-assed technobabble excuse.

 

[Ivan]

(playing on the 3rd/"Hard" setting) The resource management/stealth takedown flow reminds me a lot of The Evil Within. It lends the game a Stalker ish feel in the open settings (2nd level).

Also, while I do find most of the banter to be cringe/Reddit lulz. I did like the train Kafkaesque bit.

 

[Yosharian]

Spoiler

Maybe it's just me but I find these cartoons playing silently in the save rooms to be quite surreal, I can't help but be fascinated by them.

 

[Yosharian]

(playing on the 3rd/"Hard" setting) The resource management/stealth takedown flow reminds me a lot of The Evil Within. It lends the game a Stalker ish feel in the open settings (2nd level).

Also, while I do find most of the banter to be cringe/Reddit lulz. I did like the train Kafkaesque bit.

Yes I'm also playing on the hardest difficulty and I don't think I would be enjoying it as much on the other difficulties

 

[boluch]

Probably put in by a millennials who thought that bit would be funny

pretty much this game in a nutshell.

They gave AK a picatinny rail to make it look tacticool even though picatinny rail is an american system introduced in the 80s. Main character holds pistol at an angle because John Wick and CoD MW character were holding it like that, even though center axis relock is a modern shooting stance invented for american police. Main character constantly swears and speaks like a lowlife, despite being a high ranking KGB officer. Most of the references in the game aren't from 50s/60s soviet stuff, but rather from hollywood action movies and modern videogames. Even the soundtrack is largely comprised of remixes of soviet songs from the 80s, i.e. something the devs used to hear over the radio back when they were kids.

It's very reminiscent of Russian movies from 2000s attempting to imitate Hollywood action films, down to cringeworthy jokes that reference local cultural stereotypes, such as Babushka Zina.

 

[V17]

Maybe it's just me but I find these cartoons playing silently in the save rooms to be quite surreal, I can't help but be fascinated by them.

Maybe you know this, but that's Nu, Pogodi! and it can be funny as fuck on occasion. No idea if it's anywhere online with EN subtitles, but there's not much talking anyway.

 

[Alienman]

Imagine a scifi game set in the 50s America where you play as a CIA agent. Does he look like a current day hipster with an undercut? Does he also speak like a nigger? No, I bet he looks like this

William Carter is such an awesome protag. That Xcom game is way underrated overall.

 

[GewuerzKahn]

Spoiler

Maybe it's just me but I find these cartoons playing silently in the save rooms to be quite surreal, I can't help but be fascinated by them.

I watched this show (nu pogodi!) with my gradfather as a kid.

 

[Space Satan]

 

[Dexter]

https://techraptor.net/gaming/news/...team-to-ban-atomic-heart-in-ukraine-gamers-to

Ukrainian Ministry Asks Sony, Microsoft, & Steam to Ban Atomic Heart in Ukraine & Gamers to Avoid the Game​

Published: February 22, 2023 8:35 AM
By: Giuseppe Nelva

With the release of Atomic Heart, many have expressed doubts about its developer's potential connections with the Russian government and the game's portrayal of Soviet imagery and propaganda.

It's not surprising that the topic is of particular sensitivity to the Ukrainian people, considering that the country is currently resisting a brutal invasion by the Russian federation.

Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation released a statement signed by Deputy Minister Alex Bornyakov initially published by the local website dev.ua. TechRaptor reached out to the ministry which confirmed the authenticity of the statement, of which they also sent an official version in English.

The ministry will send a letter to Microsoft, Sony, and Valve, which currently distribute Atomic Heart, asking for the sale of digital versions of the game to be banned in Ukraine. On top of that, they call for gamers worldwide to avoid the game.

You can read the statement in full below, signed by Alex Bornyakov, the Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, and Head of the Diia City project.

"Regarding the situation with the release of the game Atomic Heart, which has russian roots and romanticizes communist ideology and the Soviet Union.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine will send an official letter to Sony, Microsoft, and Valve requesting a ban on selling digital versions of this game in Ukraine.
We also urge limiting the distribution of this game in other countries due to its toxicity, potential data collection of users, and the potential use of money raised from game purchases to conduct a war against Ukraine.

According to media reports, the game's development was funded by Russian enterprises and banks sanctioned and have systemic importance to the Russian government. Therefore, we call for all users worldwide to avoid this game. We also want to emphasize that the game developers have not publicly condemned the Putin regime and the bloody war that Russia has unleashed against Ukraine"

If you want to see a bunch of butthurt faggots: https://www.reddit.com/r/ukraine/comments/118o4hy/the_ministry_of_digital_transformation_will_send/

 

[Nelka]

God damnnnnn OST IS SOOOO GOOODD

 

[LarryTyphoid]

Why is Ukraine doing so much free advertising for this game? Literally nobody would be talking about this Reddit popamole if not for them.

 

[ferratilis]

lol
https://www.pcgamer.com/atomic-hear...caricature-in-one-of-its-soviet-era-cartoons/

Atomic Heart criticised for racist caricature in one of its Soviet-era cartoons​

 

[Fargus]

lol
https://www.pcgamer.com/atomic-hear...caricature-in-one-of-its-soviet-era-cartoons/

Atomic Heart criticised for racist caricature in one of its Soviet-era cartoons​

Good job. I'm starting to like this game...