There are certainly many ways in which developers design games to help guide players along, whether it be along the main story path or optional stuff that can provide a surprise or two. One of those methods is by using locks, and Atomic Heart is no exception. Whether you are trying to get to the core of the mystery or taking a side detour into a Testing Ground, knowing about all the locks in Atomic Heart and how to pick them is valuable knowledge every elite agent should know.
Types of Locks in Atomic Heart
Locks are going to be quite a common sight in Atomic Heart, so much so that the game itself even recognizes this and makes fun of it. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean players will have it easy if they want to gain access to doors and rooms that can be critical to the story’s progress. So, it is best for you to learn what kind of locks will stand in your way:
Standard Lock
The more traditional-looking lock that should make the most sense to players, unlocking the lock is just a matter of finding the right angle by rotating the wires, before carrying out the action with the corresponding button prompt. The way Atomic Heart uses the wires to show the angle can be confusing, so make use of the actual lock itself to help you judge.
Since there are no lockpicks involved, there is no risk of breaking the lock or losing a valuable item. Just keep tweaking your angle of attack, and eventually, the lock will be opened.
Timing Lock
As for the more troublesome blue locks, let’s begin with the timed lock. As you approach this lock, it should show a timer in the middle with several protruding capacitors. The aim here is to tap the action button whenever the light is lit up below the capacitor.
The caveat to remember is that with each press, the light will rotate in the opposite direction for the next press. For example, a successful action for the initial cycle going clockwise will now see the light go anti-clockwise, and your job is to light everything up within the time limit to get the lock open.
Light Lock
The locks begin to get more complicated, and this will likely be the variant that will take more time than usual to unlock. Once again, you are going to see capacitors that pop out, this time with a specific colored light underneath it. The objective is to rotate the configuration in the middle to match those lights, which sounds simple enough.
Of course, it is never that straightforward, and players will have to adjust the positions of the inner lights so that the rotation will place them in the right spots. At any given time, there will be three spots that can be tweaked, so make sure you are targeting the right area in order to find the solution.
Pattern Lock
Lastly, we have a lock that looks quite daunting, with the many buttons looking like it could take a while for players to unlock. That is correct in a sense, but the real solution lies not in randomly clicking buttons, but in finding the actual solution out in the world. This could be a piece of paper at a security station or some writing on a blackboard.
Note the direction of the arrow that is part of the solution, and just follow the pattern accordingly on the lock. Doing so will ensure you won’t get troubled any further by this kind of lock.
That’s everything you’ll need to know about all the locks in Atomic Heart and how to pick them. If you are interested in more help, here’s how to unlock Passive Security Relays in Atomic Heart. Alternatively, be sure to check out the related content below, or search Twinfinite for more answers about everything else.
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