Is It Better to Play Atomic Heart in Russian?

Atomic Heart takes place in Russia, in an alternate-history 1950s Soviet Union. But if you launch the English language version of the game, you’ll notice your protagonist is very American indeed. You can, in fact, play the game in several languages, Russian included. So you might be wondering whether it is better to play Atomic Heart in Russian, and here is the answer.

Yes, It Is Basically Better to Play Atomic Heart Russian, but There’s a Catch

Atomic Heart has several different language options, but developer Mundfish considers the Russian language the original. Even if that weren’t the case, it still makes sense to play the game with the Russian voice acting.

It’s not just that having your character speak in an American accent — even though the game takes place in America — damages immersion. It also clashes with the delivery of some other voice lines. In particular, when you play the intro level, set in the floating city, you’ll hear a few Russian accents. And yet your protagonist sounds as American as they come.

Switching to Russian lends the game an air of authenticity. Well, as authentic as a game about an alternative-universe retro-futuristic Soviet Russia can be. There’s another reason to switch languages in Atomic Heart, too — sometimes, your protagonist’s lines seem a little odd. And on occasion, what they say doesn’t match the English subtitles. Playing Atomic Heart in Russian makes those lines less jarring. If you want to know how to actually switch the voice language to Russian, check out our linked guide.

However, there is a catch. If you switch to Russian, you’ll need subtitles, but Atomic Heart’s subtitles are a little small. There’s also no option to increase their size. If you can live with that, yes, switch the language to Russian. But if you find yourself squinting, you might have to switch back to English.

Overall though, yes, it’s better to play Atomic Heart in Russian because it sounds more authentic.

Related: Best PC Settings to Increase FPS and Reduce Stutters in Atomic Heart on Upcomer