A few hours before its release, Atomic Heart raises a lot of expectations among players. The one that will be available tomorrow in the Xbox Game Pass and the PC Game Pass does he really have the weapons to seduce? The first tests of the game having been published, Xboxygen invites you to take a look at the opinions of our colleagues while waiting for the test of our editorial staff which is coming very soon.
First tests of Atomic Heart: rather favorable opinions
Multiplayer – 7.5/10
Atomic Heart is in all respects a good first game, but flawed. It lays the narrative groundwork for a believable and interesting game world, but conveys a plot that is still confusing, lacking in clarity and fueled by endless explanations. It builds spin-off gameplay, sure, but functional on its own, only to be watered down into unnecessarily adrenaline-charged, overpowered combat. It introduces a system of supernatural powers in line with Bioshock, but makes them barely effective when it matters most. It boasts compelling art direction and a respectable graphics compartment, but suffers from constant frame-rate drops and shows the side of bugs and crashes.
It’s not a perfect FPS, in short. Yet there is character, there is at least an intriguing overall vision that cannot fail to attract fans of science fiction, dystopias, games similar to the already mentioned Bioshock, which remains an unattainable model for Mundfish guys. The best way to enjoy Atomic Heart, ultimately, is to do so without expecting great things. The armory, which is nothing original, but is enjoyable, and the emergent narrative that traces the outlines of a truly intriguing fictional world. It could have been so much better, no doubt, but we’re dealing with a good game with some flaws to live with.
If the tester points out that Atomic Heart offers a very interesting and intriguing universe, he still notes a messy plot to which the player may have trouble hanging on. Among other things to note, it appears that the Bioshock-inspired gameplay is decent without being extraordinary. The artistic direction is to be welcomed, even if the game suffers from big frame-rate drops. All in all, Atomic Heart is a good first game for Mundfish. Despite its few flaws, the game should manage to find its audience, especially among science fiction fans.
Gaming Bolt – 8/10
Bearing in mind that this is Mundfish’s first major game, it’s easy to forgive the problems Atomic Heart presents. The game (when it is possible to play it) is really very impressive and is only slightly below what it promises. It’s not the game of the year yet, but I think Atomic Heart will hold its place in conversation for a while.
As in the previous case, the tester underlines the depth of the universe and manages to overcome the few flaws mentioned above. Atomic Heart isn’t a perfect game, but it’s still a success considering it’s the first game developed by Mundfish.
Twinfinite – 2/5
There are definitely a lot of things that could have worked for Atomic Heart, especially with its setting and the way it tries to tell a story about technology and how far we should go with it.
Despite a promising combat formula and the support systems within it when it comes to skills, crafting, and upgrades, there are several equally frustrating aspects that hold the game back. It is hoped that Mundfish will be able to fix some of the most glaring problems post-launch, but for now it looks less like a welcome revolution and more like a nuclear disaster.
Although attractive at first glance, the Twinfinite tester points out that the proposed combat formula clearly lacks panache, same thing for the somewhat worn skill, crafting and improvement systems which tend to make the game experience frustrating. For the time being, Atomic Heart is also subject to many crashing problems and it is strongly hoped that the studio will work to resolve this situation as soon as possible.
Wegotthiscovered – 4/5
Atomic Heart is, very surprisingly, exactly what I expected. Its greatest strengths are those that touch our eyes, but a great story and good exploration are welcome in an otherwise overly tense experience.
The tester highlights a visually successful game that manages to capture our every moment. The scenario that accompanies it promises to make us live a great story, this despite an experience a little spoiled by the defects previously discussed.
Sector – 9/10
Overall, Atomic Heart is a very impressive game, both in design and gameplay. Atomic Heart practically joins the ranks of Bioshock and Wolfenstein, offering an equally interesting overhaul of the world in an alternate past. This guides us through the game, combining great storytelling, challenging action, item crafting, and even a number of puzzle elements and levels. Half Life 3 could be inspired by this formula.
It’s not all perfect, the open world is questionable, and some gameplay elements are poorly put together, but it’s a pretty big game that still offers something new. Maybe there are so many things that you don’t use or find all the options the first time you play it. This is why a new game session is necessary. We don’t yet know if the game will have a sequel, but the base of the world is good and it’s expandable, just like Wolfenstein.
The universe offered by Atomic Heart greatly appealed to the tester who manages to overcome the game’s flaws thanks to a narration and perfectly mastered action phases. The concept of an open world remains debatable, but the software is quite vast and always has a little surprise in store for players. A second assignment is however essential for him if we want to take advantage of Atomic Heart as it should.
GameSpot- 6/10
There are several aspects of Atomic Heart that don’t go together, and these disparities create an experience that often feels at odds with itself. This disparity is particularly evident in how interesting the history of the world depicted in Atomic Heart is and opens up a fascinating conversation about the nature of free will and collectivism, yet the unsympathetic protagonist repeatedly prevents exploration of this topic. Atomic Heart will certainly appeal to some people, especially those looking to relive BioShock Infinite, but this game is not really to be recommended.
Conversely, GameSpot sees in Atomic Heart a rather unbalanced game offering a half-hearted final experience which will not please everyone, the character and the unsympathetic personality of the main character being particularly singled out.
Remember that the game will be available tomorrow on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC as well as on Xbox Series X | S and PC. It’s also releasing Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass directly and you can play it right now by changing your Xbox or PC settings.
