{"id":1240362,"date":"2026-02-27T11:23:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T11:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.polygon.com\/?p=609894"},"modified":"2026-02-27T11:23:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T11:23:02","slug":"atomic-heart-2-goes-big-with-space-whales-flying-cities-and-the-return-of-the-ballerina-twins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/atomic-heart-2-goes-big-with-space-whales-flying-cities-and-the-return-of-the-ballerina-twins\/","title":{"rendered":"Atomic Heart 2 goes big with space whales, flying cities, and the return of the Ballerina Twins"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Crispy critters, Atomic Heart<\/em> is officially a franchise. Formally announced at Summer Game Fest 2025<\/a> (alongside the tie-in MMO The Cube<\/em><\/a>), Atomic Heart 2<\/em> portrays a new and improved Facility 3826 \u2014 a Soviet-Silicon Valley surrounded by flying cities and inhabited by scientists who, for some reason, are\u2026 sending whales to the moon?<\/p>\n

Eager to make sense of all this, I spoke via video call with Robert Bagratuni, CEO of Mundfish, the studio behind Atomic Heart 2<\/em>. We were accompanied by director of communications Christina Omelchenko, who translated between Russian and English.<\/p>\n

On critters staying crispy\u2026<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

After completing Atomic Heart<\/a><\/em> in February 2023, a few weeks after its release, I largely left the absurdist sci-fi adventure behind me. You know what I didn\u2019t <\/em>leave behind? \u201cCrispy critters.\u201d<\/p>\n

Protagonist P-3\u2019s iconic catchphrase imbued itself in my memory, which, in a game world filled with truly bonkers oddities vying for attention, is saying something. Among Atomic Heart<\/em> players, opinions on \u201ccrispy critters!\u201d were divided, ranging from annoyance to amusement.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever crazy or stupid it may sound, or unexpectedly popular or annoying it may be, it became a part of the character’s identity and part of the whole <\/em>Atomic Heart vibe,\u201d Bagratuni said. \u201cSo yes, let it stay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking of definitive Atomic Heart<\/em> aspects making a return for the sequel, Bagratuni also confirmed the presence of the Ballerina Twins, the metallic feminine robots who caused quite a stir in the original Atomic Heart<\/em>. At the time, several reviews criticized their overly-sexual features. The Gamer\u2019s Issy van der Velde described scenes with the Ballerina Twins<\/a> as \u201cmale gaze-y shots,\u201d and Stacey Henley pointed out<\/a> that while the male robots have standard bodies and faces, \u201cThe female robots however are faceless and come with cartoonish proportions on their hips and busts.\u201d Take a quick look at Reddit and Steam posts from the era concerning Atomic Heart<\/em>, and you\u2019ll find players questioning the degree of sexualization<\/a> and stating that they don’t feel comfortable playing the game<\/a> because of it.<\/p>\n

As for what their role entails in Atomic Heart 2<\/em>, and whether they\u2019ll be joined by other main characters, Bagratuni can\u2019t yet say; they still have a part to play in Atomic Heart<\/em>\u2019s upcoming DLC \u2014 the fourth and final expansion. \u201cWhoever is alive after that one will take a role in Atomic Heart 2,<\/em>\u201d Bagratuni explained.<\/p>\n

Despite the divisiveness around the Ballerina Twins, though, scrapping them from Atomic Heart 2<\/em> was never a consideration. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re going to stay true to ourselves and the original aesthetics of the game. We just love it when things look beautiful, and you’re really enjoying what you see. So we\u2019re definitely not changing that part,\u201d Bagratuni said.<\/p>\n

On whales on the moon\u2026<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n