Developer: Mundfish
Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Steam Deck Compatibility?: Verified
Available on: Humble and Steam
Played Using: Mouse and Keyboard
Atomic Heart DLC 1: Annihiliation Instinct
Rrp: £8.99 (Humble and Steam) or £34.99 (Humble and Steam) as part of the Atomic Pass
Released: 2nd August 2023
Approximate game length: Approx 5 hours
This is the first DLC for Atomic Heart. Apparently it’s one of four but the fourth has yet to be released as of my playing and writing. This DLC is set after the game’s story has completed, but more specifically it follows one of the two endings that you can take. Specifically, this builds from the ‘walk away’ ending, which explains why certain characters suddenly have a very negative attitude toward you.
The DLC starts with P-3 waking up after having been operated on by NORA, she’s still obsessed with you and seemingly secreted you away to a part of Facility 3826 you didn’t visit in the base game. The DLC actually revolves around NORA, how she came to exist, how she became the way she is now and of course, her relationship with you.
Like any good DLC this one gives you a couple of new weapons and a new special ability, one that allows you to slow down time temporarily. Along with these new weapons come a couple of new enemies and a challenging boss fight (or two).
If you enjoyed the base game this gives you more of it but on a smaller scale. I’d say it’s definitely a worthwhile DLC to get as I had a lot of fun with it.
Atomic Heart DLC 2: Trapped in Limbo
Rrp: £8.99 (Humble and Steam) or £34.99 (Humble and Steam) as part of the Atomic Pass
Released: 20th February 2023
Approximate game length: 3 hours +
This is the second DLC for Atomic Heart and I’m afraid this is going to be a bit of a short review. You see this DLC is not one I recommend playing. Which is a real shame because I can see the care and attention that was given to this DLC. The developers went to some lengths to do more than add a couple of enemies and weapons, they created new mechanics, changed the UI, even changed the way that combat functions and so much more. But that’s the problem, they changed it too much it’s no longer the alternative history themed immersive sim I enjoy. Instead we’ve got some strange candy themed game involving sliding on slopes and gambling for weapons (not real gambling of course).
What makes this frustrating is that this continues the story of the game from the choice to fight your boss. Which means by skipping this DLC you miss out on some important aspects of the story, I personally recommend just reading a wiki about what the DLC reveals and stop before it goes into the next DLC. Hopefully the next DLC can salvage this because sadly this DLC was a swing and a miss.
Atomic Heart DLC 3: Enchantment Under the Sea
Rrp: £8.99 (Humble and Steam) or £34.99 (Humble and Steam) as part of the Atomic Pass
Released: 28th January 2025
Approximate game length: 4 Hours +
This is the third DLC and continues the story that was left off from Trapped in Limbo (the second DLC). After how much I didn’t like the last DLC I was worried that it would continue into this one, but thankfully that wasn’t the case.
I won’t go into specifics too much due but what I can say (as the title of the DLC will likely have clued you in on) is that in this DLC you go under the sea. This new area provides a couple of new weapons and two new abilities (while actually removing almost all of the ones in the base game). One such new ability that you will use a lot is a whip that is useful both in combat and in traversal.
Along with the new weapons and ability come some new enemies and not just one or two but if I remember rightly eight. They aren’t simply recolours or slight tweaks to existing enemies either (well two are but even they come with new attack types) these are completely new and require you to switch things up to deal with them.
I’m really looking forward to what the next DLC will bring. Sadly there isn’t a release date for it yet beyond sometime in 2025, given that this DLC came out in 2025 I suspect it’s more likely it’ll appear in 2026. All I can do is wait and hope that all the narrative build up these DLC’s have done pays off.
