Cyprus-based (or Moscow-based, depending on where you look) developers Mundfish are itching to unveil their first major foray into the realm of game creation in the form of Atomic Heart. Releasing later this month on February 21st, the title promises to both frighten and fascinate prospective buyers in equal measure. It’s been a while since the initial game announcement in 2018 and as the years have rolled by, more and more people have found themselves raising an eyebrow in curiosity with each subsequent trailer or teaser uploaded to the game’s official YouTube channel.

That curiosity would ultimately morph into a potent cocktail of rabid excitement and justified scepticism, especially taking into account that (as already mentioned) this is Mundfish’s first actual proper big-boy game and their ambitions as a studio aren’t exactly tethered to the ground. Having said that, it’s not as if the various members of the team are inexperienced rookies either. Each person has their own extensive history within the field of game development, and will no doubt bring their own unique expertise to the project.




If all the promised gameplay and story elements are executed successfully, we could all very well be witnessing something special here – an experience with the potential to send fresh, creative ripples through the first-person shooter, action-adventure and role-playing game genres. The dev team has promised to disrupt the industry with its unbridled creativity and takes great pride in maintaining complete control of their project, only daring to open their doors to other studios and partners that agree with their philosophies and respect their values. At least according to their website.

In order to prepare your body, mind and wallet for launch day, I’ve collected all the important information you need to know about Atomic Heart and tenderly placed the specifics within this moderately easy-to-digest article. Because I care about you. Let’s get down to business.

The Story of Atomic Heart


In the year 1936 of an alternate timeline, a professor in the USSR by the name of Dmitry Sechenov identifies a mysterious substance dubbed Polymer. Utilised as an information storage system, this discovery ultimately leads to a substantial boom in the field of robotics within the Soviet Union after Sechenov employs his findings in the creation of a compact cold fusion reactor three years later in 1939. Sechenov’s future Polymer implementation and robotics research propositions are thrust into motion, dreams of an ideal society where machine assistance is the norm and human labour is completely eradicated to become the driving force of innovation. By 1941, a series of research complexes are constructed under the collective title “Facility 3826”, with each complex overseeing its own specific field of study and technological advancement.

...dreams of an ideal society where machine assistance is the norm and human labour is completely eradicated to become the driving force of innovation.

This continues until the creation of the Kollektiv 1.0 system in 1948. Sechenov and his researchers successfully join all Soviet robot assistants together under one neural network, allowing for the functional implementation of machines into positions previously occupied exclusively by human beings. From construction projects to natural disaster recovery operations, the involvement of humanity in society takes a step back to their new robot helpers. Perfection has almost been fully attained in Dmitry’s mind, until he makes another startling discovery in 1950.



After presumably spending countless hours on testing and exhausting entire warehouse supplies of coffee, Sechenov reveals that human bodies are able to host Polymer. By connecting a device to the subject after Polymer implantation, it should theoretically be possible to establish an even closer link between man and its new cyber-servants, claims the professor. The device, named “Thought”, was finalised in 1954. Issuing an order to one of the many robots on the Kollektiv 1.0 network would now be as simple as willing it to happen with your mind.

It is now 1955 and the USSR is just about to flip the switch on their program to roll out the “Thought” devices to the populace. The Kollektiv 1.0 system will be pushed to Kollektiv 2.0, allowing for an accelerated accumulation of knowledge for those linked to the network as well as even higher levels of connectivity and efficiency, elevating the relationship between humankind and robot to unprecedented levels. Also, everyone needs some Polymer up in their bodies whether they like it or not to take advantage of the new technology.

And everything will be fine.

Just kidding. The worst possible outcome occurs, as either an individual or a nefarious organisation sabotages Kollektiv 2.0’s launch and triggers a facility-wide murderous rampage at the hands of the robot workers. This is where you begin Atomic Heart.

Introducing P-3


Stepping into the shoes and mouth of Intelligence Service Major Nechaev (codenamed P-3 after an incident involving plutonium exposure), your objectives are simple. You are to head inside Facility 3826 to determine what exactly caused this catastrophe to take place and, if you don’t end up as a puddle of entrail juices in the middle of some nightmarish lab’s tiled floor, to restore Kollektiv 2.0 to its true glory.

What makes matters worse for our protagonist is the sheer scope of the in-game world. The five large complexes that comprise Facility 3826, each easily accessible via a train that runs throughout the entirety of the region, are spread out around a series of mountains with explorable areas both above and below ground. Thankfully, loading screens are confirmed to be non-existent.

You are to head inside Facility 3826 to determine what exactly caused this catastrophe to take place...

Aside from important figures within 3826 - like Sechenov himself - it’s unclear exactly how many other humans we’ll be in contact with as we complete our roughly 25-hour long journey, or to what extent they’ll influence the unfolding of the narrative. It’s worth noting the implication hinted at during the official gameplay overview trailer that dialogue options during conversations seem to be present, potentially allowing the player to jab the investigative probe even deeper than expected.

Surviving Facility 3826


Combat encounters are inevitable and not entirely avoidable, with the unique twist of having to deal with enemies all intelligently linked to each other. This means that if you’re not careful with what you’re doing, enemies may choose to call for backup. Thanks to the neural network, the stakes of fights that may have seemed easy when initiated can ramp up in difficulty in the blink of an eye. Various eagle-eyed pieces of surveillance and security technology tied to the Kollektive system can be destroyed or tampered with to avoid triggering any alarms or to assist the player in mitigating future robot attacks.

If you’re hoping to finish Atomic Heart without violently dismantling scores of automatons, I have some bad news for you. A wholly stealth-based approach is not going to get you far; the extent of its usefulness merely serving as a means to silently reduce the number of enemies you’ll face heading into the next fight. The question then becomes not whether you will face any enemies up ahead, but instead how many you can avoid or get rid of before the others charge at you like a bat out of hell.



On occasion, whether to break up long sessions of combat fatigue or simply as a means of adding more gameplay variety for the player to sink their teeth into, you’ll be presented with an environmental puzzle. Not too much is known about these sections, however, save for them ranging from minor distractions to multiple room-spanning head scratchers taking roughly an hour to complete. Keep in mind that handsome rewards await those patient players who go the extra mile in solving all these conundrums.

Dealing Damage


The tools P-3 has at his disposal to both loudly and forcefully deal with the robot hordes, and sometimes plant/human hybrid monstrosities, include shotguns, railguns, grenade launchers, plus much more. Attachments can be equipped to these weapons, increasing their lethality, or simply adding another dimension to their usage – incendiary rounds, for example. Crafting ingredients and ammunition can be found throughout the game world, both in containers and on the bodies of those things you just bludgeoned to death.

While not necessarily a total survival horror title, Atomic Heart has just enough of the genre’s DNA to infer that supplies will likely not be in great abundance....

These odds and ends are useful not only for upgrading your weaponry, but also for creating entirely new ones. While not necessarily a total survival horror title, Atomic Heart has just enough of the genre’s DNA to infer that these supplies will likely not be in great abundance, ensuring you take your time to explore every inch of the scenery around you without hastily pushing forward and finding yourself in a rather sticky situation somewhere down the line.



Fear not, however, as running out of bullets is not always an instant death sentence. Melee combat is both encouraged and a genuinely viable alternative to traditional ranged options, with each swing of your axe or hammer generating energy that goes towards powering any energy weapons you may have on your person. Wrapped snuggly around P-3’s left hand sits a Polymer glove capable of unleashing devastating abilities such as bolts of electricity, streams of ice, and even telekinetically lifting and throwing enemies back down to the ground with deadly impact - highly reminiscent of Bioshock’s plasmids.

For added efficacy, a Polymer coating can be applied to the enemies’ bodies before zapping the hell out of them. The AI built into the glove occasionally provides feedback on events transpiring around the player and features some nifty extras like area scanning, witty banter, machine hacking and pulling all lootable items within a room towards the player with a suction force so powerful it puts vacuum infomercials from the ‘90s to shame.

As Hard As You Want It To Be


If you’re concerned that you might not be able to keep up with the adrenaline-soaked firefights (set to both Soviet classics from the ‘50s-‘80s, as well as the pulse-pounding beats of the fantastic composer Mick Gordon) that make up a sizeable chunk of the gameplay, Mundfish have reassured fans who want to prioritise story over gameplay that they have absolutely nothing to worry about. The three difficulty levels we’ve come to expect from modern game releases are all present and accounted for: story/easy, medium and hard. Regardless of your preferred experience, nothing in Atomic Heart will be gated behind a specific difficulty.

The Twins


Let’s be honest here for a hot second. A substantial amount of interest around this title comes from two very specific aspects of its marketing. I am of course referring to none other than the robot twins that positively pervade all imagery and media promoting Atomic Heart. Six-hour scene rumours aside (if you know, you know), the bodyguards of Dmitry Sechenov both boast visually striking designs and it’s easy to see why Mundfish chose to use them as a sort of double mascot for the game. Artists across the internet are squeezing these two for all their Hajime Sorayama-esque worth, all inadvertently serving as a form of unofficial marketing as others desperately ask what piece of media the two originate from.

Closing Remarks


As you can see, there is a lot going on within the bloodstained boundaries of Facility 3826. And there’s even more we don’t know yet and have to look forward to when Atomic Heart finally emerges from within its dystopian chrysalis later this month. Hopefully this summary has proved somewhat illuminating for those completely unfamiliar with all aspects of the game, or a lovely refresher for long-time followers of the title’s development.

Whether you’re of the mind that Atomic Heart looks too good to be true or are firmly sticking to your belief that Mundfish have created the next gaming masterpiece, it’s undeniable that it has captured the imaginations and aroused the attention of many.

I personally cannot wait to see if the game’s overall quality matches the depth of its pre-release lore, jaw-dropping trailers and promotional build-up. With a beautifully disturbing universe, immensely creative enemy and environmental designs, and a story positing itself to outshine previous legendary releases within the same thematic vein, we may have a future game of the year contender on our hands here.

Or not. We’ll see.

Atomic Heart launches February 21st for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.



Written by Ryan Pretorius