Faisal Ghaffar 
It was certainly a clever touch to take one of the quirkiest side characters of Atomic Heart and make it the start of its first DLC. The main game had some moments that were more memorable than the ones spent with the sex-mad Soviet AI called NORA, which is wreaking havoc throughout the machines in Facility 3826. There were two anticlimactic endings in the main game and the story of Annihilation Instinct starts with the weaker one.
The plot
In this one, NORA has gone rogue and you have to go up against her, which is mostly a linear campaign and very forgettable. The suite of weapons is nothing special and neither are the power-ups, which makes it difficult for the game to distinguish itself. Annihilation Instinct does provide added context, as to why NORA is after P-3, which does not really feel essential, but fits in quite well.
As there were two endings in Atomic Heart, it was obvious that Annihilation Instinct could only pick one of them and for a while it was unclear as to which one it had chosen. This creates some confusion in terms of storytelling because you will know more about some characters than they do.
The design and encounters
It should be noted that Annihilation Instinct actually takes place in a completely new location called Mendeleev Complex, which NORA has taken control of. The visual design that you see in the game is downright spectacular, as the set of environments are quite terrific. While there are some open spaces above ground, you will find that most of the encounters are linear and do not give you a lot of opportunity to explore the interesting world it has created. This can be a bit disappointing for those who want to see more.
The enemy types
Atomic Heart already had strong enemy designs, so it is not surprising that the new robot types introduced in this game are well-designed. The problem is that there are just two of them. The humanoid robots move like deadly dolls and are able to use their limbs as boomerangs. BEA-Ds are the other type and they are essentially gym ball-sized bots, which can form powerful foes when combined.
You will engage in two boss fights with this robot type, but since it is the same one, the second time feels repetitive. Not only are the enemy types sparse, but also the ways of disposing them have not gotten any upgrades. You will only come across two new weapons in Annihilation Instinct, which includes a melee weapon that functions as a gardening tool and halberd, while the other is a light machine gun.
The powers that were given in Atomic Heart, such as telekinesis and ice are missing, but you do have the ability of slowing down time.
The Verdict
There are some excellent new environments and the same imaginative enemy designs as the main game to be found in Atomic Heart: Annihilation Instinct, which makes it fun. But, it is a bit linear and the arsenal is strangely limited.
