For the average player in 2026, Atomic Heart takes 16 hours to beat the main story.
Main Story + Some Side Content: 22 – 25 Hours
Completionist (100%): 35+ Hours
With XMOD Speed Cheats: 8 – 10 Hours
Compared to similar games, it is longer than Bioshock (12h) but shorter than Prey (20h).
If you are diving into the retro-futuristic Soviet Union of Atomic Heart, you are likely asking: “Is this game too long?”
The pacing of Atomic Heart has been a topic of debate since launch. While the world is stunning, the open-world sections can feel “bloated” with respawning enemies. This guide breaks down exactly how much time you need to invest and how to fix the pacing if you find it too slow.
Editor’s View (by Catherine Hu, XMOD Senior Game Tester):
“I’ve played Atomic Heart three times: once at launch, once for the DLCs, and once with the XMOD Trainer. Honestly? The ‘Vanilla’ game drags in the middle. The Testing Grounds are cool, but fighting the same Pchela bots for 20 hours gets tiring. My recommendation for 2026? Use the XMOD Speed Hack to zip through the open world and focus purely on the dungeons. It turns a B-tier grind into an S-tier narrative experience.”
Table of Contents
Detailed Playtime Breakdown (Story vs. 100%)
Atomic Heart vs. Other Shooters (Length Comparison)
DLC Duration: Trapped in Limbo & Annihilation Instinct
The “Pacing Problem”: Why It Feels Longer Than It Is
How to Beat Atomic Heart Faster (XMOD Speedrun Guide)
FAQ: Difficulty & New Game+
Detailed Playtime Breakdown (Story vs. 100%)
With the game fully patched in 2026, here is realistic data based on thousands of players:
The “Tourist” Run (15-16 Hours): Playing on “Peaceful Atom” difficulty and ignoring most Testing Grounds (Polygons). You will miss weapon upgrades, but you will finish the story quickly.
The “Standard” Run (25 Hours): Playing on Normal difficulty. You complete 3-4 Testing Grounds to get the Kalash upgrades and loot most rooms.
The “Completionist” Run (35+ Hours): Finding all 73 Chirpers, looting all Talking Dead, and clearing all 8 Testing Grounds. Warning: This involves significant backtracking.
Atomic Heart vs. Other Shooters
To help you budget your time, here is how Atomic Heart stacks up against its spiritual predecessors:
Game Title
Main Story Length
Completionist Length
Bioshock 1
12 Hours
22 Hours
Wolfenstein: The New Order
11 Hours
25 Hours
Prey (2017)
16 Hours
40+ Hours
Atomic Heart
16 Hours
35 Hours
Verdict: Atomic Heart is longer than the average linear shooter due to its semi-open world structure.
DLC Duration: The Complete Package
If you are playing the “Gold Edition” or have the Season Pass, add these times:
Annihilation Instinct (DLC 1):~2.5 Hours. A combat-heavy expansion with new enemies.
Trapped in Limbo (DLC 2):~1.5 Hours. A surreal platforming challenge (very different from the main game).
Total “Complete Edition” Time: Expect a 40-hour commitment for everything.
The “Pacing Problem”: Why It Feels Longer
Many players complain that the game feels like 50 hours. Why?
Bullet Sponges: Enemies on “Armageddon” difficulty take way too much damage to kill.
Infinite Spawns: Repair bots (Pchelas) constantly revive enemies in the open world, trapping you in endless combat loops.
Backtracking: The map navigation is intentionally vague, leading to lost time.
How to Beat Atomic Heart Faster (XMOD Speedrun Guide)
If you love the aesthetic but hate the 25-hour grind, you don’t have to quit. Follow this step-by-step guide to set up the XMOD Trainer and turn P-3 into a speedrunning machine.
Step 1: Installation & Setup
Download: Get the XMOD Client from the official button below. (Verified safe & VirusTotal scanned).
Install: Run the installer. It will automatically detect your installed games (Steam, Game Pass, or Epic versions).
Launch: Open XMOD, search for “Atomic Heart”, and click Play.
Step 2: The “Speedrun” Configuration
Once you are in-game, use these specific features to fix the pacing issues:
Skip the Walking Sim (Movement Speed)
The Problem: P-3 walks slowly, and the open-world map is huge with no fast travel to specific points.
The Fix: Press F3 to toggle Game Speed Multiplier (x2.5).
Result: You can sprint from testing grounds to mission objectives in seconds, bypassing the boring traversal time.
Bypass the Bullet Sponges (One-Hit Kill)
The Problem: Enemies like the “Black Vova” take too many hits to kill, slowing down exploration.
The Fix: Press F1 to toggle One-Hit Kill.
Result: Every enemy dies in one shotgun blast. This turns combat into a fast-paced “DOOM-style” shooter rather than a resource-management slog.
Skip the Looting (Infinite Resources)
The Problem: You usually need to spend hours looting drawers to afford the “Zvezdochka” melee weapon upgrades.
The Fix: Press F6 to enable Infinite Neuropolymer & Metal Parts.
Result: Max out your skill tree and weapon stats immediately at the first “NORA” fridge you find.
Pro Tip:
Turn off the Game Speed Multiplier during cutscenes (cinematics). Forcing the game engine to run at 2.5x speed during scripted events can sometimes cause audio desync. Toggle it back on once you regain control of P-3.
6. FAQ: Difficulty & New Game+
Q: Is there a New Game Plus mode in 2026?
A: Yes. New Game+ was added post-launch. It increases difficulty and allows you to keep your weapons, but enemies gain color-coded resistances (auras), which actually increases playtime unless you use cheats.
Q: Can I skip the puzzles?
A: Without mods, no. However, using XMOD God Mode allows you to survive laser grids and environmental hazards, letting you “brute force” some puzzle solutions faster.
Conclusion: Control Your Playtime
Atomic Heart is a visual masterpiece that sometimes overstays its welcome. By understanding the playtime requirements—or using XMOD to adjust them—you can ensure your trip to Facility 3826 is enjoyable, not exhausting.
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Catherine Hu
Nancy Miller