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Atomic Heart, the upcoming first-person shooter from developer Mundfish, has gotten an in-depth look at its influences, mechanics, setting, and robot bees (via Rock Paper Shotgun).
YouTuber Alexey Makarenkov was invited by Mundfish to preview the game, which is big time, because we haven’t had an update on Atomic Heart for ages. His video covers all that he saw and heard, and he’s got one that responds to viewers’ questions about the game (as much as he is able to reveal, that is). At the moment, the game begins with protagonist P-3 exploring a squeaky clean laboratory in the middle of nowhere. Expectedly, things aren’t quite as spick and span as they appear, and the KGB agent must investigate the facility for the truth.
Makarenkov would describe Atomic Heart as an immersive first-person shooter with crafting and looting elements to upgrade abilities and weaponry. One such ability is telekinesis, which is implanted into P-3’s palm with wiry tendrils. The telekinesis works like Remedy Entertainment’s Control, and the agent is able to bring weapons into their hands from afar. Additionally, the combat is heavily specialised into melee style of bashing first, asking questions later. A stamina gauge determines the power of the attack, and players must dash to avoid damage and time their hits for the greatest effect. The melee weapons on offer look Fallout-y, but if someone had continued to glue bits and blades onto them with reckless (and admirably creative) abandon.
The enemies seem to be primarily mechanical. There’s a little one, called Chicken, with an extendable saw blade to take out your knees. More humanoid robots clamber across tree tops and lurk in the shadows of the lab, which will lend itself to the horrific moments of Atomic Heart. Unfortunately, one must get up close and personal with these things, as although there are guns, ammo is scarce and so the player must use their melee weapons.
Gelatinous, transparent gloop hangs suspended in some rooms, and it seems as though P-3 can swim through these channels to get to new areas. In one section, the player hoovers up all of the loot in an office, and Makarenkov said that looting is vital to making and repairing weapons and keeping the wolf from the door. This seems very like Prey meets Metro Exodus, with the strange science and the gubbins the player can attach to their weapon of choice. But, it is the robot bees that have piqued my interest. These bees cluster together in hives which are in fact connected to an overworld surveillance system. If the player makes a racket somewhere in the lab, the bees are bound to know about it and send enemies to set things straight. They are hackable, thankfully, but I can see these bees becoming the mascot for Atomic Heart.
Atomic Heart is coming to PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One.
