Few games in recent years have stirred up quite the same mix of hype, confusion, and straight-up weirdness as Atomic Heart. When Mundfish dropped that Soviet retro-futurist fever dream in 2023, it was a messy, glorious shot of Bioshock energy and unapologetic oddball flair. At Summer Game Fest 2024, the Russian devs are back with not one, but two projects: Atomic Heart II, and a multiplayer spin-off called The CUBE. As someone who’s watched Mundfish’s rise from “who the heck are these guys?” to cult favorite, I had to dig in-because this isn’t your usual annualized FPS sequel dance.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Mundfish |
| Release Date | TBA |
| Genres | First-person shooter, Action RPG (Atomic Heart II); Multiplayer FPS, RPG elements (The CUBE) |
| Platforms | PC, consoles (specifics TBA) |
Atomic Heart made headlines for its bonkers setting, tongue-in-cheek dark humor, and technical ambition. Was it rough around the edges? No question—the storytelling was uneven, and the dialogue often stumbled over its own attempts at satire. But the core was there: wild weapon-powers combos, gorgeous art direction, and a confidence you rarely see in a debut. I played it, flaws and all, and came away thinking, “If these guys get a second shot, they could really nail it.”
The announcement of Atomic Heart II at SGF isn’t a surprise, but it is a test. Mundfish is promising a “vaster, more polished universe with RPG mechanics.” That’s the kind of line that’s been abused by marketing teams since the dawn of time. What I’m watching for is whether the sequel addresses the original’s awkward pacing and story stumbles. If they can keep the creative enemy/weapon design and double down on the world-building—without getting lost in fetch quests or half-baked skill trees—this could be one of the most interesting FPS sequels in years.
The fact that there’s no release date yet is probably for the best—Mundfish’s first game was ambitious but buggy at launch, so I’d rather see them take their time than rush out another half-finished oddity. Also, with console platforms still unconfirmed, the industry’s “will it/won’t it” dance around Switch 2 (and the continuing PS5/Xbox tug-of-war) is in full swing. If Mundfish wants to capture a bigger audience, hitting as many platforms as possible is key—but I’ll be shocked if Nintendo’s next console is top priority for such a tech-heavy series.
The CUBE, on the other hand, is a trickier proposition. Spin-offs can be cash grabs, but it sounds like they’re actually using the Atomic Heart universe for something new: a twitchy, multiplayer FPS with RPG progression. This isn’t just “Atomic Heart with a battle royale mode” tacked on—it’s a dedicated PvP experience. That said, the market for hero shooters and multiplayer arena brawlers is brutal right now. If The CUBE doesn’t carve out a unique identity beyond the trippy visuals and lore, it could vanish as quickly as it arrives. Still, given how wild the core game’s combat could get, I’m genuinely curious to see what “Atomic Heart-style multiplayer” even looks like.
Here’s what caught my attention: Mundfish is making a clear play to turn Atomic Heart into a real franchise, not just a cult classic one-off. That means a bigger investment in worldbuilding, and hopefully, a willingness to listen to what worked (and what didn’t) the first time around. For players who want something off the beaten path—something more imaginative than another military shooter—this is a series that’s finally got the resources to go big.
At the same time, the studio is taking a risk. Atomic Heart thrived on its uniqueness, but sequels and spin-offs often lose their weird soul in the pursuit of mass appeal. I’ll be watching closely to see if Mundfish can keep that unhinged creativity alive while smoothing out the rough edges. If you liked the first game’s blend of old-school shooter chaos and bizarre alternate history, Atomic Heart II could be a must-watch. If The CUBE pulls off a genuinely fresh take on PvP, we might get something that stands out in a sea of lookalike shooters.
Mundfish is swinging for the fences with Atomic Heart II and The CUBE. The promise of expanded RPG systems and a full-blown multiplayer spin-off is ambitious, but the true test will be whether they can keep their creative edge without tripping over the same old pitfalls. For now, this is a sequel announcement that actually feels worth watching—for all the right, and weird, reasons.
Source: Mundfish via GamesPress