Atomic Heart’s Enchantment Under the Sea DLC is the game’s third expansion developed by Mundfish. The DLC continues the narrative from the previous DLC “Trapped in Limbo,” and offers players a fresh and immersive experience and a new interesting location to explore in the game’s dystopian universe.
Narrative and Setting
The DLC picks up immediately after the events of Trapped in Limbo, following protagonists P-3 and his wife, Agent Blesna, as they navigate the aftermath of the Chelomey city’s destruction. Their primary mission is to recover the Beta Connectors previously discarded by P-3 during the main campaign. This quest leads them through both familiar and new locations, including an underwater facility that draws heavy inspiration from the BioShock series’ Rapture. The linear level design enhances the storytelling, providing a focused and engaging narrative that some reviewers found more compelling than the base game.
Gameplay and Combat
Enchantment Under the Sea enhances the base game’s experience by featuring all new elements. This includes new weapons, such as a grappling hook, which adds depth to both combat and traversal, the Thunderclap, a powerful hammer that deals electrical damage, and the KM-4 Kuzmich, a crowd-clearing double-barrel shotgun with customizable bullet spread.
It also provides enhanced versions of existing robots and introduces new adversaries, including underwater mutants and the formidable MOR-4Y. While the enemy count in certain areas has been adjusted, the artificial intelligence has been improved, resulting in more challenging encounters. It’s worth noting the boss fights featured in this DLC while not a lot have a steep learning curve and can be quite challenging especially if you haven’t played the game in a while. However, once players get past this curve, they’ll find that the experience as a whole is rewarding.
Additionally, the DLC offers about 3-5 hours of gameplay, and while not long at all, its asking price of $10 is worthwhile as it provides great content that enhances the base game.
Visuals and Atmosphere
In terms of visuals, Enchantment Under the Sea features incredible atmospheric design that’s unlike anything in the game. The underwater facility offers awe-inspiring scenery and set pieces, reminiscent of games like Bioshock, that keep players engaged throughout the story. The interplay of graphics with the soundtrack creates an immersive experience. The game also performs great on PC with no visual issues detected.
Final Thoughts
Atomic Heart Enchantment Under the Sea stands out as a significant enhancement to Atomic Heart, delivering a compelling narrative, refined gameplay, and a captivating atmosphere. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, this DLC offers a rich and rewarding experience that complements the main game with new bosses, a significant aesthetic change, and an interesting narrative.
The Review
Atomic Heart Enchantment Under the Sea
Atomic Heart Enchantment Under the Sea stands out as a significant enhancement to Atomic Heart, delivering a compelling narrative, refined gameplay, and a captivating atmosphere.
PROS
- Great visuals
- Fun gameplay
CONS
- Very short
