Atomic Heart: Enchantment Under the Sea Review – Soviet Rapture

Atomic Heart has been an intriguing game to ponder since its inception. Even at launch, while its core mechanics were solid, there was a certain level of repetitiveness due to the game’s expansive open world that seemed unnecessary. Since then, opinions about this title have been split, with some appreciating the core gameplay, writing, and imaginative narrative, while others criticizing the lack of diversity within the game, occasionally broken up by clever but brief puzzle-solving moments. However, developer Mundfish has been diligently experimenting not just with gameplay, but also with level design and writing through their DLC releases. In many aspects, the latest DLC – Enchantment Under the Sea – appears to embody all that the studio has gleaned about game design.

In contrast to earlier DLCs for Atomic Heart, which varied greatly in content, one offering more of the base game elements and another presenting a unique spin on the narrative, Enchantment Under the Sea takes a different approach by returning to the primary storyline of the game. Unlike the original design that promoted an open world, this expansion leans towards linear levels instead. The adventure starts with a dramatic escape from the building where you previously confronted the main antagonists, leading to the discovery of your wife. However, your reunion with Granny is swift, and you soon embark on an underwater expedition to locate the crucial wedding rings within a submerged facility.

“You very quickly end up reuniting with Granny and setting off to explore an underwater facility”

The game titled “Enchantment Under the Sea” is known for its consistent, progressive narrative and often highlights the most innovative features that “Atomic Heart” has to offer. Not only does it introduce a variety of new enemy types, each with distinct vulnerabilities demanding fresh strategies rather than what you’d typically use, but it also enhances its problem-solving elements. While its puzzle designs may not reach the level of complexity found in classic Zelda games, they still offer a good amount of diversity and serve as breaks between challenging combat situations.

The writing in this latest installment of Atomic Heart seems significantly improved compared to its previous versions. Despite some instances of excessive dialogue that occasionally undercuts the tension, and contributing to the identity crisis we noted even in our review of the first DLC, Annihilation Instinct, the humor this time around is less cringe-worthy or groan-inducing. Many of the jokes stem from P3’s efforts to reconnect with his wife, which often result in heartfelt moments rather than detracting from the story. However, it seems as though the studio was still wrestling with the decision to make this a more serious narrative to wrap things up for the upcoming DLC that serves as a potential finale, and the humor in Enchantment Under the Sea unfortunately undermines some of the intended atmosphere.

Beyond that point, the narrative unfolds as an unexpectedly thrilling journey from the start. The underwater complex you predominantly traverse during the DLC expansion proves to be larger and more expansive than initially perceived, giving the impression that Atomic Heart is attempting to create a setting reminiscent of Rapture. While BioShock’s Rapture served multiple purposes, providing commentary on objectivist philosophy and unbridled capitalism, as well as serving as an exceptional backdrop for a horror game, Enchantment Under the Sea’s setting primarily functions as a picturesque stage for the action. Although there are minor pieces of lore scattered throughout for players to discover, such as through conversations with deceased characters or computer records, overall, the DLC’s setting serves more as a visually appealing backdrop rather than delving into deeper themes.

The major drawback of the storyline in Enchantment Under the Sea lies in its requirement for players to have a good grasp before diving into it. Since the narrative continues from where the game concluded, it’s not possible to begin with the DLC expansion; instead, you must complete at least the main game first to make sense of the events. While this might seem like a hurdle, given that it’s the third DLC release for the game, it isn’t too big of an issue overall.

In essence, because it continues from where the game ended, you can’t simply begin with the DLC (Downloadable Content).

In terms of gameplay, “Enchantment Under the Sea” introduces fresh abilities for players to test out, with a grappling hook and fireball being the most notable. The grappling hook, known as the Whip, is employed frequently throughout the DLC and turns out to be quite versatile, serving both exploration and combat purposes effectively. Interestingly, the whip seems to have been the primary influence for designing the DLC’s puzzles, which often necessitate you to grapple around to find a clear view of the whole puzzle. Additionally, there are platforming challenges that heavily incorporate the use of the whip, such as one where you must continuously swing between two electrified train tracks to dodge oncoming trains while searching for safe hiding spots. Although it won’t make you feel like Spider-Man with his web-swinging, it still presents an engaging new method to traverse the DLC’s levels.

As a gamer, I’ve found my whip to be quite useful in battles, initially serving as a tool to pull myself towards enemies for a closer fight. It gets even better with additional enhancements that allow me to counter an enemy’s powerful attack when I grapple onto them. The fireball, though not as versatile, offers a satisfying experience. Essentially, it functions like a massive grenade, making it a fantastic choice for managing large groups of enemies in tight situations. Unfortunately, the fireball doesn’t contribute much to exploration, primarily used to destroy specific barriers; this aspect feels more like an added bonus rather than a core gameplay mechanic.

In essence, the primary issue with the combats in Enchantment Under the Sea is not something that can be easily addressed through DLC, but rather calls for a complete overhaul of the combat system within Atomic Heart. The problem lies in the fact that during intense battles, readability tends to diminish significantly. Although enemies provide signals when they’re about to attack, the overall speed and abilities of your adversaries often give the impression of being borrowed from faster games without the necessary adjustments to fit Atomic Heart‘s combat style. The matter is further complicated by the fact that sometimes it can be challenging to even identify enemies. Although the experience isn’t typically problematic, those instances where readability falters stand out as glaring issues.

“You’re not going to be getting any ground-breaking new content”

To put it simply, the DLC Enchantment Under the Sea underscores the robustness of the core storyline in Atomic Heart. Even with its identity issues, the writing in this expansion is among the finest across the entire game, making characters seem more human than they have in either the main game or previous DLCs. The narrative also seems to be reaching a climax, and Enchantment Under the Sea feels like it’s building up to the grand finale in the next DLC. In terms of visual inspiration, this DLC heavily borrows from BioShock, with its underwater facility resembling Rapture in size and complexity. The decision to tell the story through linear levels rather than an open world not only enhances the writing and pace, but also improves gameplay.

You won’t find any revolutionary content in the DLC “Enchantment Under the Sea“, but it’s still highly recommended, particularly for those who enjoy playing “Atomic Heart“. This additional content retains the top-notch shooter gameplay from the main game and enhances it with engaging level designs, diverse encounters, new adversaries, new abilities, and humorous writing. All these elements combined make it a fantastic way to spend a weekend. Moreover, the DLC’s narrative suggests that Mundfish is close to concluding the overall plot of “Atomic Heart” and “Enchantment Under the Sea“, making it a DLC you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

This game was reviewed on PC.

2025-01-29 17:41

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