Atomic Heartis an odd game to pin down based solely on the trailers. Everything makes it seem like a clone ofBioShock, and in many ways it is. Players are thrust into a paradise that is interrupted by a glitch in the system causing the once-helpful robots to go haywire.
RELATED:Atomic Heart: How Long to Beat
Atomic Heartis not so much a shooter as it is a survival game. It’s going to take a while before players get an arsenal to take down enemies easily. That may throw players for a loop, again, because the trailers make it seem more action-based. What else should players know before jumping into thisalternate-history shooter? Let’s dive in with some more handy tips.
7Start On Peaceful Atom
This game is a tough nut to crack for a shooter because ammo and weapons are very limited for the first couple of hours of gameplay. Plus it takes a while toget an ability. Thankfully,Atomic Hearthas three difficulty levels: Peaceful Atom, Local Malfunction, and Armageddon.
Peaceful Atom is the easiest and the description makes it seem likeAtomic Heartwill be a walk in the park if players choose it. That is far from true because even in this mode, it’s easy to die. For players that are more interested in taking in the game’s atmosphere, Peaceful Atom is the way to go.
6Saving Shells
Eventually,Atomic Heart’s first gunwill unlock, which will be a shotgun. Ammo, again, is limited in the beginning, even if players rifle through countless drawers. Using the shotgun should be a last-ditch effort like if they get swathed by three or more robots.
RELATED:Atomic Heart: Real-World Locations That Inspired The Game
Also, there is a black-dressed version of the standard male robot early on that will be like a mini-boss. Unload shells into that beast of a robot like there is no tomorrow. Using guns on bosses in general is a good tip.
5Using Radar And Finding Items
Standard to many modern shooters and action games,Atomic Heartplayers will acquire a radar. It, unfortunately, doesn’t highlight much of anything in the environment for starters. For example, enemies cannot be highlighted when the radar is deployed, unlike the radar in theBatman Arkhamseries.
There is one good thing about the radar inAtomic Heart, though, as it will highlight which drawers and cabinets players can interact with. The overall tip here is to explore thoroughly for every bit of ammo, and material. The more players acquire, the faster they can upgrade their gear.
4Practicing That Dodge
Players will begin with an axe that theycan eventually upgradeto make stronger or add abilities to. During melee combat, players can also perform a dodge ability. When enemies are about to attack, they will flash an orange circle. Unlike a lot of other action games, players aren’t given a lot of time to react.
Every frame of animation counts, so players truly have to practice getting good at dodging inAtomic Heart. If they don’t then they are going to run through healing items like how movie theaters run through popcorn on an hourly basis.
3Unlock Frostbite And Mass Telekinesis ASAP
The aforementioned materials come in various forms that can be used to build things like guns or upgrade them. Materials can also be used to enhance the player’s body with stat boosts and special abilities. The first one is free, Shok, and it’s not useful in its original form. It can be powered up to be deadlier, but players should unlock two other powers which are far more useful.
Frostbite will freeze enemies in place with ice,while Mass Telekinesiswill raise every enemy in the player’s vicinity above the ground. Both powers allow players to wail with their axe on enemies in vulnerable states.
2Good Early Weapon Upgrades
As for the weapons, it’s best to avoid constructing anything melee based. The axe is good enough for the early stages, especially if it gets modded. Players should instead focus their materials on crafting every gun they come across.
RELATED:Atomic Heart: How to Get All Endings
The first one, besides the shotgun, will be free, which is an electric-based pistol. After that, an ammo-based pistol will become available. At that point, guns and ammo will become more available, and things will start to get a tad more manageable.
1You Can Craft Health Items And Ammo
If players are really having ahard time with enemiesinAtomic Heart, there is a crafting option that they may not know about which could even the odds. Healing items and ammo can be crafted. It’s technically not that expensive to craft either, although it does cut into the budget for creating gear and modding stuff.
As a general rule, players should have at least two to three healing salves with them along with about eight shotgun shells. If either of these items starts to get low, make sure to replenish the stock at every major save point. That said, players need to use it sparingly or else they are going to be hurting later on if they cannot craft the best gear.
Atomic Heartwas released on Jul 02, 2025 and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
