For those aiming to play Atomic Heart on PS5, two facts matter most: the game runs with solid optimization, and the PS5 experience does not mirror the rocky launch seen with Cyberpunk 2077. In some moments, glossy reflections appear, yet without patches the experience can be frustrating rather than fulfilling.
Now more extensive
Startups reveal a noticeable surge of ambient noise. A blend of Soviet-era songs, environmental effects, NPC chatter, and the protagonist’s glove create an immediate urge to adjust the volume on the console. The immediate impact is loudness that overwhelms the scene, demanding quick calibration.
Even after dialing back most indicators except key dialogues, the problem persists. It seems there is a sporadic audio bug where voices sound as if filtered through a dense underwater chasm, making dialogue hard to follow without subtitles. The soundscape sometimes feels static, not matching on-screen actions, requiring a reduction to about 30 percent in some cases. Yet the opening sequence remains visually striking: rich colors, a convincing draw distance, and a wealth of tiny details that keep the world feeling alive. Frame rate holds steady in combat for some players, though other console tests online show dips to around 30 frames per second for many setups.
A striking moment appears early in the story, a pause where the game offers a rare calm. Moments like these stand out for their emotional weight, though they are relatively scarce within the overall pace of the game.
However, the project comes with a notable caveat. When enemies stand far away, character models can stutter, while close-quarters combat shows the robots torn apart by their own exposed internals. The absence of map markers and occasional lighting fluctuations in certain rooms contribute to a disruptive atmosphere, though these glitches do not derail gameplay; they are more of an annoyance than a malfunctioning core mechanic.
One recurring pairing of issues concerns a melee-heavy combat design and imperfect visual cues. The combat system tends to favor dodging and timing, yet the dodge mechanic can lead to momentary loss of target lock, complicating encounters. Robotic enemies often blur into the background as players maneuver, and some players report difficulty acquiring targets during rapid movements. As a result, ranged combat can feel more reliable on consoles, in contrast to the PC experience where melee can sometimes dominate.
What about bugs at launch?
Robot attacks can arrive with little to no audible warning, making reaction timing difficult. The game’s open-world sandbox feels expansive yet occasionally inconsistent, with enemies popping in around corners and behind the player at tense moments. Visual cues for enemy patterns and attack indicators are not always clear, complicating strategy during exploration and combat.
A typical encounter unfolds with the player advancing down corridors, meeting robots, and engaging in a sequence of attacks and dodges. The pace can become erratic as the protagonist turns, with combat sequences sometimes feeling unbalanced on default difficulty. This leads some players to consider difficulty settings that emphasize survivability and tactical play. Nevertheless, the core challenge remains whether players can adapt to the combat flow rather than being overwhelmed by it.
When choosing to engage, players will often need to close distances quickly, making mobility and timing critical. Observers note that dodges can feel more effective on PC, though the gamepad experience on consoles remains viable with practice. Progression often requires upgrading arsenal and mastering the glove’s abilities, a grind that some players may find tedious. The open world design analyzes traditional sandbox elements with a focus on loot collection and skill progression, but the execution sometimes emphasizes repetition over innovation.
The glove’s two-skill system can be temperamental. In some sessions, the skills fail to switch as intended, leaving players with only one active ability for extended stretches. After around ten hours of play, this bug persisted for some testers, meaning patches are eagerly anticipated by the community.
Despite these issues, one author’s colleague who tested the PS5 version reported a relatively smooth experience, noting fewer technical problems and a generally stable performance. The prevalence and severity of bugs vary by platform, hardware, and even individual game copies, with some players encountering significant instability and others enjoying a steady run. This inconsistency has led to a mixed reception among reviewers and players alike.
Overall, Atomic Heart on PS5 benefits from strong optimization and engaging world-building, but it demands patience. Some mechanics feel superfluous, and a number of glitches obscure the game’s strengths. On PC, performance often appears more stable and certain skills remain accessible, yet the PS5 version can still deliver a compelling experience for players who weather its quirks. A cautious verdict positions the game as a solid entry that can entertain for several evenings, especially for PlayStation fans who are willing to wait for patches to improve stability.
Have you decided what to play?
All Atomic Heart screenshots can be viewed here.
Citation: VG Times