Review: Atomic Heart in 3D (Samsung Odyssey 3D version)

Playing Atomic Heart in stereoscopic 3D on the Samsung Odyssey 3D is an outstanding experience and easily places the game among the very best 3D implementations available through Odyssey Hub. Beyond its already striking art direction and imaginative environments, the game truly shines thanks to a beautifully executed stereoscopic presentation that adds remarkable depth, scale, and volume to every scene.

The 3D effect is consistently impressive, with strong sense of space and solidity throughout the game world. Objects, characters, and environments exhibit excellent volume, and the overall depth layering feels natural and stable. In fact, the sense of depth is so pronounced that we initially had to reduce convergence, as weapons frequently extended far out of the screen toward the player’s eyes. This level of pop-out is a testament to how aggressively and confidently the 3D has been implemented.

One of the game’s greatest strengths is the sheer variety of its environments. Atomic Heart seamlessly combines vast open spaces with tightly enclosed interiors, constantly shifting scale and perspective. Each location feels imaginative and visually distinct, consistently showcasing a striking artistic quality. This variety is further enhanced by memorable situations and unexpected moments of humor, with several sequences delivering genuine laugh-out-loud moments that make the experience even more memorable.

From a performance standpoint, the experience is flawless. There is no noticeable difference in performance compared to playing in 2D mode, which is especially impressive given the visual complexity of the game. Throughout the entire playthrough, no rendering artifacts, visual bugs, or stereo mismatches were detected. The 3D rendering remains clean, stable, and comfortable, even during fast-paced combat and visually dense scenes.

One particularly notable aspect is the apparent resolution of the stereoscopic image. Compared to other titles available in Odyssey Hub, Atomic Heart appears sharper and more detailed in 3D, resulting in a clearer and more refined visual presentation. This enhances immersion significantly, especially in the game’s richly detailed interiors and surreal outdoor environments.

Due to the game’s gameplay design, there is a constant presence of elements moving toward the camera, with frequent objects and effects breaking the screen plane. While this greatly enhances immersion, it also means that convergence settings need to be adjusted carefully over time. Certain interface-heavy moments—especially when interacting with upgrade machines—require a significant reduction in convergence or even temporary deactivation of the 3D effect. In practice, the best solution is to disable 3D while navigating these menus and then re-enable it afterward. This allows the player to preserve their preferred depth and convergence settings for gameplay without compromising comfort.

In our own experience, we started the game with 3D set to maximum and convergence at 90%. After some initial playtime, we reduced convergence to 75% for better comfort. By the midpoint of the game, given how frequently elements appeared very close to the player’s eyes, we ultimately settled on 25% convergence. This gradual adjustment felt natural and helped maintain a comfortable yet impactful 3D experience throughout the game.

In conclusion, Atomic Heart is an essential title for anyone who owns a Samsung Odyssey 3D. Not only does it deliver one of the most spectacular stereoscopic 3D presentations available, but it also offers a fresh, satisfying, and genuinely fun gameplay experience. The game’s creativity, combined with its bold use of 3D, results in moments that are not only visually impressive but also surprisingly humorous—several sections genuinely made us laugh. It is a standout example of how modern games can fully exploit high-quality stereoscopic 3D when done right.

Reviewed version: Odyssey Hub version

The game also supports Dual-View Rendering (3D Ultra) and Single-View Depth Reprojection (3D+) on TrueGame for Acer SpatialLabs. You can use NewAxis mod on other Eye-Tracked Lightfield LeiaSR displays.