Controls & UI — Atomic Heart: Annihilation Instinct Guide

Master Atomic Heart's controls and UI. Learn keybinds for movement, combat, inventory, and more for PC and console.

Mastering the controls and understanding the user interface is crucial for survival in the twisted world of Atomic Heart. This guide breaks down every button and icon, ensuring you can react swiftly to threats and navigate the complex environments with ease. From combat maneuvers to inventory management, a firm grasp of the UI will be your greatest asset.

Atomic Heart features a dynamic control scheme designed for both PC and console players. On PC, WASD keys handle movement, while the mouse controls aiming and camera. The left mouse button initiates primary attacks, and the right mouse button is for secondary fire or charged attacks. The 'E' key is context-sensitive for interactions, such as opening doors, picking up items, or initiating dialogue. 'Shift' is for sprinting, and 'Ctrl' for crouching, essential for stealth and avoiding enemy detection. The 'Tab' key opens your inventory and character menu, where you can manage gear, use consumables, and access the skill tree. 'M' brings up the map, vital for navigation and tracking objectives. The number keys (1-4) are typically used to cycle through your equipped weapons and abilities.

The UI itself is designed to be informative without being overwhelming. Your health and energy bars are prominently displayed in the bottom left corner. Ammo counts for your currently equipped weapon are shown next to your health. In the bottom right, you'll find your active ability hotkeys and their cooldowns. Enemy health bars appear above their heads during combat, and a mini-map with objective markers and nearby points of interest is usually situated in the top right. Important notifications, such as new quest objectives or discovered lore entries, will appear in the center of the screen.

Key Controls Summary:

• Movement: WASD (PC) / Left Stick (Console)
• Aim/Camera: Mouse (PC) / Right Stick (Console)
• Primary Attack: Left Mouse Button (PC) / Right Trigger (Console)
• Secondary Attack/Charge: Right Mouse Button (PC) / Left Trigger (Console)
• Interact: E (PC) / X (PlayStation) / A (Xbox)
• Sprint: Shift (PC) / L3 (Console)
• Crouch: Ctrl (PC) / R3 (Console)
• Inventory/Menu: Tab (PC) / Triangle (PlayStation) / Y (Xbox)
• Map: M (PC) / Touchpad (PlayStation) / View Button (Xbox)
• Weapon/Ability Swap: Number Keys (PC) / D-Pad (Console)