How to use the scanner in Atomic Heart - mechanics explained

 Scanner is the most useful tool in the game and should be used everywhere

The first obstacle in Atomic Heart is already in the tutorial. Whatever difficulties you encounter when trying to learn how to use the scanner, know that it is not a mistake. To use the scanner in Atomic Heart, you need to double-click the R1 button on the PlayStation (or RB on the Xbox), and after the second press, be sure to hold R1 / RB. On PC, things are much better - just press and hold the ALT key once.

Many players, like me, may be confused by the prompt asking them to hold R1+R1. It looks like a mistake was made here and you need to hold down two buttons (for example, L1 and R1).

How to search for items with a scanner

The Atomic Heart scanner works in much the same way as most scanners in other games: it helps to analyze the environment. When scanning, objects will be highlighted with overlays of different colors, and depending on the specific color, these are:

• Blue indicates chests, crates, and other containers that contain resources, consumables, and crafting materials.
• Orange indicates enemies. If you point the scanner at a specific enemy, you can see a list of its resistances and vulnerabilities, as well as a summary of the loot that drops from it when destroyed. Note that using the scanner does not stop time, but only slightly slows it down; you are still vulnerable to enemy attacks.

• The white color indicates objects you can interact with - save stations, elevator call buttons, Eleanor submachine guns, puzzle pieces, corpses, and the like.
• Purple (pink, lilac) indicates important (plot) items. For the most part, Atomic Heart is pretty simple in terms of what it tells you where and when to go, but in some rare cases, you have to look for things yourself. For example, in the task "Made in the USSR" you need to find "the voice, symbol, and sprout of the Motherland." Activating the scanner will highlight three items - a radio, a hammer, and a plant - that you need to progress through the story.