The 7 Toughest Foes in Atomic Heart

Atomic Heart may share a lot of tropes and Russian vibes with Wolfenstein, but the experience is anything but repetitive. Atomic Heart is a game full of engineered monsters, both mechanical and biological. Don’t let the mutants and mechs terrify you because they’re not invincible.

But some boss encounters in the game made us feel some existential terror. You can’t outrun some of these bosses, while others can’t be killed using brute force. Without further ado, these are the 7 toughest foes in Atomic Heart.

Also Read: 6 Unbeatable Powers in Atomic Heart

7 Toughest Foes in Atomic Heart

Who told you FPS games couldn’t be as tough to beat as Souls-like titles? To support that notion, meet the toughest bosses in Atomic Heart. No, there’s no devil software or AI using quantum computing to beat players, though we wish one was released as a DLC. Instead, we’re talking about rolling evil mechs and swift dancers who won’t hesitate to crush or slice up P-3. These bosses are resilient enough to make you rethink the stereotype about FPS being simple.

#1: The Twins 

The Twins are the toughest enemies to beat in Atomic Heart despite their small figures. They’re not towering mechs 40 feet tall. Instead, these are two ballerina-like sisters who are tools of war. They’ll dance across the battlefield, easily avoiding your onslaught of bullet and melee attacks. So, don’t be fooled by their petite frames because they’re packed with high-tech weapons like laser whips, ninja stars, and telekinesis. Of course, you can crush The Twins using any strategy you like. But one of our favourites involves the combination of a shotgun, an energy pistol, and the Polymeric Jet.

In such scenarios, your best bet is to attack the sister using the laser whip instead of the one flying in the sky. Trust us, she doesn’t mind the skirmishes, so she’ll attack even if you don’t. Whenever she does, we simply spray her using Polymeric Jet, then pepper her with shotgun fire cartridges. Finish off with the energy pistol and then, she’s done. 

At least, if you choose Peaceful Atom or Local Failure. Armageddon is the hardest difficulty out there. You’ll encounter these bosses at the beginning and the end of the main campaign, so they’re P-3’s final enemies. The first time will be in Sechenov Highrise’s lobby and then later on in the main glass room decorated with aeroplanes.

#2: Dewdrop 

You’ll encounter Dewdrop on your way to the Lighthouse after you leave the Pavlov complex. It’s a spider robot with a laser right where its eye is supposed to be. But we’re not talking about a little robot. Dewdrop is huge, easily 30 feet tall which is why it was used to mine for resources. But having been corrupted by Viktor Petrov, it’s now a homicidal robot whose lasers are focused on you. While it’s a short fight if you’re not playing in the hard mode, the fight gets tricky because of the combat design.

Dewdrop will attack you with its Polymeric arms or snipe you with its laser(s) if you get too far. You can easily dodge its arms after familiarising yourself with the pattern. But the laser attack is two-fold, so you can’t dodge beforehand. Sometimes it’s a single beam of energy, while other times, there will be multiple beams of energy. Thankfully for players, if you can survive Dewdrop’s laser attacks, it’ll momentarily leave itself open to attacks. 

This is usually the best time to spray its laser eye with the Polymeric Jet and then light it up with the Fat Boy.

#3: MA-9 Belyash

You’ll encounter Ma-9 Belyash in Chelomey during the early missions of Atomic Heart. At first, it was harmless, only being used for projecting the stars as a tourist attraction. Later on at the Art Exhibition, Belyash becomes a foe. One who is as agile as a squirrel and as fast as a roadrunner. 

The robot can also send shockwaves that’ll make P-3 see stars while eating up his health for good measure. So, keeping your distance isn’t the best idea for this fight. But get too close to Belyash, and it’ll claw at you which is even more damaging than the shock waves. So, how do you beat this monster? Especially when it can also roast players with its flamethrower. 

Just block with the Polymer Shield and use the Shok ability to electrify its circuits and even stun it. Players who have invested in the Shok ability will fare better in this fight.

#4: Natasha

Natasha breaks the stereotypical drama around the name, so instead of being sexy, Natasha is both chubby and cute. At least, until it goes on its homicidal runs. Players will encounter this boss in the Theater segment of the campaign. Natasha is also well-equipped for the fight, coming with state-of-the-art weaponry and capabilities such as:

• Quick mobility using the twin rockets on its back.
• A rocket launcher fires missiles from behind the robot. 
• Extendable arms that can punch or smash enemies from a fair distance.

Watch out for the spin attack that can deplete more than half your health in a go. In short, this robot punches like Mike Tyson, and you need to wait until its back is exposed before you attack. This fight is memorable because Natasha is deceptively agile for its size. But once you’ve gotten used to its movesets, mowing it down becomes easier.

#5: Plyusch

Again, Atomic Heart comes through with some existential horror bosses. Plyusch is as revolting as its name sounds, looking like a monster straight out of an H.P. Lovecraft book. Players will encounter it on the lower levels of the VDNH where it’ll bamboozle players with its speed and elasticity. But despite its elasticity and agility, it remains one of the weakest bosses on our list for a reason. For one, Plyusch is susceptible to everything from flames and Frostbite to melee attacks because it’s not armored. If you throw in the Polymeric Jet, you’ll dominate this fight. 

#6: Large Mutant

You’ll fight the Large Mutant early in the campaign in the Vavilov Complex. This mutant is deadly because it’s not attacking alone. Not to mention, it’s disgusting because the sprout-nest on its back is biological. It can send parasites that invade human corpses to reanimate them to fight. Besides that, the whole area is filled with sprout nests, so dead scientists and staff will be reanimated regardless. Like the excellent Samaritan we were, we put the Large Mutant and its nests out of their misery using the shotgun. Upgraded to a respectable level, the shotgun cuts through enemies like a scythe through wheat. 

#7: Hedgie

Get out of the way, there’s a new hedgehog in town. Hedgie isn’t Sonic, but it is a literal wrecking ball of a mech because of its child-like attacks. This robot is subterranean by nature, but once it notices activity on the surface, it comes to investigate and eliminate it if necessary. Imagine giving a child a wrecking ball, and you begin to picture the level of chaos it can unleash. Especially, as it can roll extremely fast like Sonic the Hedgehog to crush any enemies in its path.

You’ll encounter Hedgie in the Arena that leads to the Exhibition Hall (It’s accessible via a zipline). Immediately it surfaces, it’ll rush P-3 in an attempt to crush him, but since this is a game, our protagonist is only knocked back. Thankfully, the developers took the liberty of scattering shock-activated pillars around the battlefield. These pillars function like mines, making this one of the easiest fights of the game. The rest of Hedgie’s attacks require you to be smart. 

• Time your jump to avoid its shockwave attack.
• Move out of the way of fireballs — you don’t need the dodge button. 
• Shoot it whenever it magnetises players. 

Our Final Say

The beauty of Atomic Heart is that it accurately portrays a freak accident where robots turned on their masters. While its combat system isn’t as evolved as games like Elden Ring, the bosses delivered. Hopefully, we’ll see an Atomic Heart 2 demo later. But for now, there’s no word from Mundfish. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

What Is the Best Melee Weapon in Atomic Heart?

The best melee weapon in Atomic Heart is the Zvezdochka. It’s a crossover of a driveshaft and circular saws that can be wielded like a club. Let’s not forget that you can tear through robots courtesy of the saws, which spin when you press a button on the handle. With it, crushing big bosses like Natasha, Hedgie, and The Twins becomes easy enough. 

What Is the Hardest Difficulty in Atomic Heart?

The hardest difficulty in Atomic Heart is Armageddon. It’s more than twice as difficult as Peaceful Atom, the easiest mode in the game. Also, unlike other games, the hard-core mode is available from the start. So, even when you finish the game, no new mode will be unlocked. 

What Is Beylash’s Weakness in Atomic Heart?

Beylash is weak against Frostbite and Shok, so use those powers to slow her down while you deplete her health with a powerful rifle, melee attacks, grenades, or missiles. Being able to attack without the fear of a counter lets you punish Beylash throughout the fight.