The scenery is beautiful, and a big budget game in a luxury space communist setting is unique. I didn’t like the mechanics of System Shock or any of its copycats, so I don’t know how long I’ll be interested in the gameplay, but the ~15 min intro is incredible and definitely worth experiencing whether you “play” it or watch a play-through.

Game journalists have some issues with the game which I enjoy in a shitliberalssay sort of way. Here’s IGN, who doesn’t seem to know who won the cold war:

the lens through which you may view all this Soviet symbolism is a little different today in 2023 than it was upon its announcement and first reveal back in 2018. https://www.ign.com/articles/atomic-heart-review

Or destructoid:

Mundfish has crafted a Soviet Union that, outside of the floating cities and advanced robotics, feels like something Stalin and Lenin could have achieved if they weren’t so busy murdering their own people. https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/atomic-heart-review-destructoid/

I see complaints about the writing being juvenile or self-aware etc. but I cringe at the dialogue in every big budget game. And yeah there’s a horny upgrade robot, I wish it would drop the double entendres and respectfully ask you to fuck it.

I’m playing on “Easy”, which is a ding to my pride, but it was recommended by more experienced gamers so I’m going with it. https://www.polygon.com/guides/23606367/atomic-heart-difficulty-level-easy-medium-hard-peaceful-atom