Calling Atomic Heart an FPS kinda feels weird. Sure, you shoot the robots a fair bit. But the game makes you fight them with your hands almost just as much. Arguably more.

For example, you start off with melee weapons. It even takes some time to get your first weapon. And even then, the ammo scarcity means you will hack and slash a fair bit.

So this article is kind of my way of showing love to the game’s melee weapons. Sure, I already wrote one on the weapons. And these items did make it there as well. But I’m ranking this one mainly on strength first. Keep reading to find out what my take on the whole matter is!

5. Fox

Fox Stats:

• Damage - 3
• Attack Speed - 7
• Range - 4
• Charge Damage - 6
• Charge Speed - 7

When the question is where to start, the answer is always ‘bottom.’ And that’s why I will start with Fox. This is one of the earliest blueprints you will find in the game.

Generally, one-handed weapons tend to be much faster than their two-handed counterparts. This is true in Atomic Heart as well. Fox is fast. Very fast. It’s actually the second fastest weapon in the game.

You would think that high attack and charge speed might make it very viable. But there are downsides that I just can’t overlook. 

The attack damage is the least of our problems. I believe the speed makes up for it. You deal almost double the damage compared to Swede.

Range, though. That’s a tough one to beat. With a range as low as 4, it just can’t compete with the other weapons. Especially early on, when you don’t have the skill upgrades that make dodging efficient. And by the time you have them, you’ll have better weapons on hand.

Fun fact, apparently the blade of the weapon comes from an aircraft propeller. Sadly, this tidbit doesn’t translate to high damage.

4. Swede

Swede Stats:

• Damage - 3
• Attack Speed - 4
• Range - 5
• Charge Damage - 4
• Charge Speed - 4

Swede is the first weapon you get to use. And if you take my advice, you’ll be using it for quite some time. It’s not as iconic as some of the other melee starters from other popular franchises. But it’s useful and handy.

If you look at the stats, you’ll see that the Damage output is the same as Fox. Charge Damage and Speed is lower as well. So why do I think it’s better? 

You already know that I’m going to say ‘range.’ While it’s not exactly a great weapon, the slightest difference in range means a lot. 

During the early game, you’ll be trying to understand enemy movements and your own. Dodging is a skill that takes some time to learn, and you can’t afford to let go of range.

And don’t let the stats fool you. With a few upgrades, the charge damage and speed don’t stay that much of a hassle.

3. Snowball

Snowball Stats:

• Damage - 6
• Attack Speed - 5
• Range - 4
• Charge Damage - 6
• Charge Speed - 3

Now we’re getting into the heavy stuff. Snowball isn’t just heavy, it hits hard too. You’ll find this sometime after mid-game, so get ready to do some heavy hits.

One look at the stats and you can tell that it does quite a lot of damage. The attack speed isn’t shabby either. It swings faster than Swede and does more damage!

So if it's that good, why is it down here? The answer is, once again, range. Sure, it’s better than the ones I mentioned above. But compare it to the ones in the list below, and you might see why I consider it inferior.

But you'll find people disagreeing with me, and that's fine. Try it out and you'll see what I mean.

2. Pashtet

Pashtet Stats:

• Damage - 5
• Attack Speed - 8
• Range - 5
• Charge Damage - 6
• Charge Speed - 7

You’ll find the Pashtet sometime during the mid-game. After you get the blueprint, you might never even go for a different melee weapon. If you’re like me.

If you look at the stats, Pashtet has some of the highest ones. Best Attack and Charge Speed among all the weapons. And the Damage is nothing to laugh about, especially if you consider DPS.

Speed matters a lot in Atomic Heart. By this point, you should be good at dodging. Combine that with high attack speed. And you’re going to be a killing machine. You won’t even have to go for charged attacks!

And the Damage is very high for a one-handed weapon. Only behind the next two and by a small margin. You can see why I am partial to it.

1. Zvezdochka

Zvezdochka Stats:

• Damage - 7
• Attack Speed - 5
• Range - 5
• Charge Damage - 8
• Charge Speed - 2

The Zvezdochka is a really strange weapon. At first glance, you might wonder what this even is. Well, don't feel bad. Even Charles isn't sure of that. 

But I can say one thing with certainty. This is the strongest melee weapon in the game. It has the highest Damage and Charge Damage out of them all. 

Seriously, attacks with this feel like you're hitting hard. And can you imagine how much muscle-mass you’ll need to even swing this?

The weapon has a good range, making it more useful in melee combat. Keeping enemies at bay is always an asset. And for its size, it has a surprisingly high Attack Speed.

The only real downside is the amount of time it takes to charge. It's hardly a problem though. You can go far with just using the regular attack. And once you get used to it, you'll find ways to best use it.

You may also be interested in:

• Atomic Heart Best Weapons (Ranked Worst To Best)

• [Guide] Atomic Heart Difficulty Levels Explained - Choosing Best The Difficulty For You

• [Top 15] Atomic Heart Best Skills To Have (From Early To Late Game)