Atomic Heart Walkthrough: Polygons, Bosses & Puzzle Solutions (2026)

Editor’s View:

Atomic Heart is a game of extreme highs and frustrating lows. The Soviet-utopian art style is breathtaking, but let’s be honest: some of the puzzles (like the vague “Ballerina” poses) are poorly explained, and the map navigation can be a nightmare.

I have completed Facility 3826 three times on “Armageddon” difficulty. I realized that you don’t need a guide telling you to “walk down the hallway”; you need a guide for when you are stuck.

This walkthrough cuts the fluff. It focuses on the roadblocks: the specific puzzle solutions, a master list of Testing Ground rewards (so you don’t waste time on the wrong ones), and how to beat the brutal bosses. And if the grind gets too boring, I’ll show you how the XMOD Trainer can let you skip the tedious parts entirely.

Table of Contents

1. Master Loot Table: All Testing Grounds (Polygons)
2. Puzzle Solutions: Ballerinas & VDNH Codes
3. Boss Guide: Hedgie & The Twins (Legit vs. Cheese)
4. Best Weapons Tier List: What to Craft
5. Endings Guide: “Good” vs. “True” Ending
6. The “Skip” Button: Using XMOD to Bypass Grind
7. Conclusion: Utopia Awaits
8. Troubleshooting & FAQ

Master Loot Table: All Testing Grounds (Polygons)

Stop searching through 10 different wiki pages. Here is exactly which weapon upgrades are in each Polygon, so you can prioritize the best ones.

Testing Ground	Gold Chest Reward (The Good Stuff)	Silver/Bronze Rewards	Difficulty
Polygon 1	Fox Axe (Handle)	Fox (Blade), PM (Mag)	Easy
Polygon 2	Kalash (Electromagnetic)	Snowball (Handle)	Medium
Polygon 6	Electro (Electromagnetic)	PM (Extended Mag), Kalash (Ammo)	Medium
Polygon 8	Zvezdochka (Saw Dance)	Dominator (Homing), Fat Boy	Hard
Polygon 9	Pashtet (Handle)	Kalash (Stock), KS-23 (Collimator)	Hard
Polygon 10	Fat Boy (Mines)	Kalash (Extended Mag), Dominator	Medium
Polygon 11	KS-23 (Damper/Stock)	Kalash (Converter)	Hard
Polygon 12	Electro (Vampire Module)	Fat Boy (Revolver Loading)	Hard

Pro Tip: The Zvezdochka “Saw Dance” in Polygon 8 is the best melee upgrade in the game. Get it immediately.

Puzzle Solutions: Ballerinas & VDNH Codes

These are the two most searched puzzles in the game. Here are the direct answers.

In the “Art is Sacrifice” mission, you must pose four Ballerinas to cast specific shadows.

• Ballerina 1: “Croisée in the 5th position” (Arms high).
• Ballerina 2: “Relevé in the 5th position” (Legs crossed).
• Ballerina 3: “Attitude” (One leg up).
• Ballerina 4: “A la seconde” (Arms wide open).

Stuck at the locked door in the VDNH complex?

• Solution: Look at the blackboard in the office opposite the locked door.
• The Code: It is a Diamond Shape (press the bottom button, then right, top, left).

Boss Guide: Hedgie & The Twins (Legit vs. Cheese)

This boss is fast and creates shockwaves.

• Legit Strategy: Wait for it to stop rolling and expose its red glowing cooling vents. Hit the vents with the Zvezdochka or Shotgun. Do not shoot the shell; it does almost no damage.
• XMOD Cheese: Toggle God Mode (F1). Hedgie’s attacks are purely physical. With God Mode, you can ignore the shockwaves and just stand in the center, waiting for the vents to open.

The final showdown. They fly, use lasers, and team up.

• Legit Strategy: Use the Dominator (Energy Rifle) and Polymer Shield. Kinetic ammo runs out too fast. Keep moving constantly; if you stop, you die.
• XMOD Cheese: Toggle Infinite Energy (F3) and No Weapon Overheat (F6). You can hold down the trigger on the Dominator and melt their health bars in under 30 seconds without needing to dodge.

Best Weapons Tier List: What to Craft

Resources are scarce. Don’t waste Metal Parts on weak guns.

1. S-Tier: Zvezdochka (Melee)
   1. Why: With the “Saw Dance” special attack, it stunlocks enemies and deals massive damage.
2. A-Tier: Dominator (Energy)
   1. Why: Infinite ammo (recharges over time). Essential for long boss fights.
3. B-Tier: Kalash (Assault Rifle)
   1. Why: Reliable, but ammo is heavy and takes up inventory space.
4. C-Tier: MP (Pistol)
   1. Why: Weak damage. Replace it as soon as you find the Shotgun.

Endings Guide: “Good” vs. “True” Ending

At the very end, after the Limbo sequence, you talk to Granny Zina. Your dialogue choice determines the ending.

Option A: “I’m not laying a finger on Sechenov. I’m out.”

• The “Good” Ending: P-3 realizes he is being manipulated, destroys his glove (Charles), and walks away. No final boss fight.

Option B: “Whatever, lady… why don’t you show me what’s in that arsenal?”

• The “True” Ending: P-3 crafts a new weapon and goes to fight The Twins. This leads to the major plot reveal and the “Canon” conclusion.

The “Skip” Button: Using XMOD to Bypass Grind

Atomic Heart is a long game (20+ hours), and the open-world sections with infinitely respawning bots can get tedious.

The XMOD Trainer allows you to customize the difficulty on the fly:

1. One-Hit Kill: Remove bullet-sponge enemies instantly.
2. Super Speed: Run across the huge map faster than a car.
3. Instant Crafting: Unlock the Zvezdochka without doing the Polygon 8 puzzle.

Download the Atomic Heart Walkthrough Trainer

Conclusion: Utopia Awaits

Don’t let the difficulty spikes ruin Atomic Heart for you. The world of Facility 3826 is worth exploring, even if you need a little help to survive the robot apocalypse. Whether you choose to master the combat mechanics or use XMOD to focus on the story, the choice is yours.

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Troubleshooting & FAQ

Q: Can I return to the open world after beating the game?

A: No. There is no “New Game+” or free roam after the credits roll. Make a manual save before entering the Lighthouse if you want to finish the Testing Grounds.

Q: Where do I find the AK-47 (Kalash) blueprint?

A: It is random loot, but it has a high drop chance in the chests within the Vavilov Complex Cold Storage.

Q: How do I skip the annoying intro boat ride?

A: You can’t skip it natively. However, you can use the XMOD Trainer to set Game Speed to 5x, turning the 10-minute cutscene into a 2-minute trip.