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Now that Atomic Heart is officially out, all of the game's endings have been unlocked. Set in an alternate version of 1955 in a Soviet Union research hub, massive technological breakthroughs have occurred through the Polymer. The recently released FPS title sees the protagonist use a Polymer glove to give him a wide variety of powers, as they seek out Dr. Sechenov, the person responsible for so many of the problems in the game.
Interestingly, Atomic Heart has two endings, and neither of them can really be considered a “good” ending. One is bad, and the other is significantly worse. As you play through the game, thankfully, your decisions and gameplay don't affect the ending of the title. You get one moment to decide what will happen, and here’s what happens.
Caution: This article contains major spoilers for the endings of Atomic Heart.
How to get the True and Alternate Endings in Atomic Heart
There are two endings in Atomic Heart, and both of these are triggered at the same point. You really have to ask yourself where you stand on Dr. Sechenov, and what the character has done throughout the game.
While talking to Granny Zina in the final section of Atomic Heart, you’ll ask the protagonist, Major P-3, to make a choice. She asks if you will choose to fight Sechenov or not. Depending on which one you pick, you’ll get the following endings.
1) True (“Good”) Ending
- Answer “Whatever, lady … why don’t you show me what’s in that arsenal of yours?”
If you select this response, Granny Zina will help you get ready for the final battle with Sechenov. At this point, however, you’ll have to fight Left. Later on, in Sechenov’s office, you’ll have to do battle with both of the Twins at the same time, one of whom is the protagonist's wife in Atomic Hearts. At the end of the fight, Char-les, attached to the protagonist's glove, will kill the Twins.
Next, you’ll mortally wound Sechenov, only to learn that Char-les (Professor Chariton) has been manipulating you for the entirety of Atomic Hearts. Char-les disables Major P-3 so that he can't act and releases himself from the player's glove.
Chariton, now free, combines with the Neuro-Polymer and takes on a new body (Jelly Man). Chariton's polymer body consumes Sechenov in the True Ending of the game, and the Epilog will be played.
It's stated that Sechenov was consumed by Chariton as well. Players will get to see Major P-3 in one more scene, though, where it looks like he’s in a hallucination. He hears his wife, Blesna, as he continues to hallucinate. The last scene that players see is Right extending her hand from the sky to Major P-3.
In this ending, it’s implied that humanity has no future and that Char-les took control of all the machines. He wanted humankind to have a place in the world, and it’s fairly unclear what’s going on with Major P-3. He could potentially be manipulated by Char-les to help wipe out humanity. Although this is the True Ending, it’s certainly not a great one.
2) Bad (Alternate) Ending
- Answer “I’m not laying a finger on Sechenov. I’m out. I’ve had enough of this game.”
This ending is much shorter and features Major P-3 deciding that he’s sick of dealing with all the nonsense, and simply leaves. He removes Char-les from his glove and leaves everything behind. The protagonist puts his faith in Sechenov and doesn't take part in the last battle.
However, this ending hints at Sechenov completing Kolektiv 2.0, and all those who were a part of Thought would be damned to be nothing more than mind-controlled servants of Sechenov.
After all, nobody's left to stop the doctor from completing their goals. However, this ending is ambiguous as well. It’s not clear whether or not Major P-3 enjoys peace at long last, or what the ultimate fate of the world is. During the final cutscene, it's revealed that a black polymer exists, near to where the protagonist left in Atomic Heart. This could mean that Char-les is still alive.
Both Atomic Heart endings are bleak, but whichever one you wish to see is up to you. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of hope for humanity in either option, as it’s a matter of which madman you want to see controlling things.
