Since its reveal in 2018, Atomic Hearts has been compared and contrasted against Bioshock on numerous occasions due to its similarities in gameplay and unique settings. Fans of Bioshock interested in stepping into the weird world of Atomic Heart, or new players to this style of game, may be wondering how similar Atomic Heart is to Bioshock or if it is a fair comparison to make. This guide goes over some similarities and differences between the two titles.
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Is Atomic Heart like Bioshock? Similarities and differences
When looking at both Bioshock and Atomic Heart, it’s hard not to see comparisons and similarities between the titles. Both games are set in an alternative version of history where technology has advanced faster than real life and feature uniquely different settings, leaning into the aesthetics of each game’s respective time period. Bioshock opts for more fictional settings, such as Columbia and Rapture, and Atomic Heart is slightly more grounded in reality with its alternate version of Russia and the Soviet Union.
As well as its setting, multiple elements of Atomic Hearts gameplay are very similar to Bioshock. In both games, players interact with the world in first person and have a variety of weapons and advanced technology which can be upgraded and modified, giving players plenty of options in how they deal with enemies. Both games also feature abilities like freezing and telekinesis that players use alongside ranged and melee combat. In this case, Atomic Heart offers more diversity in combat and gameplay thanks to its inclusion of puzzles, an open world, and a more robust offering of upgrades and tools to use in combat.
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One of the biggest differences between the two games is enemy variety. Bioshock mainly focuses on human enemies with a few exceptions, whereas Atomic Heart features a wide variety of enemies, including zombie-like mutants and a slew of machines ranging from tiny flying bots to hulking suits of armor which will offer a more challenging experience.
There are undeniable some other differences between the two games, ranging from characters, visuals, and different elements of gameplay, but for those who want another game like Bioshock with a new setting and some expanded features and gameplay, then Atomic Heart should scratch that itch nicely until we see a new game in the Bioshock series.
