How to Access the Testing Grounds 1 in Atomic Heart

Once you’ve managed to successfully escape the facility and its quaint, robot-infested settlement, you’ll board a train that’s very quick to derail. Because isn’t that just your luck? But there is one silver lining: you’ll get dumped out at a station that’s just rife with training grounds. Which are all locked. Here’s how to access the training grounds in Atomic Heart.

How to Access the Testing Ground 1 in Atomic Heart

The way you access Testing Ground 1 in Atomic Heart is the same way you’ll access all testing grounds in Atomic Heart. Once you regain your bearings on the train platform, you’ll find that the world’s gotten a lot bigger. Open up your map, and you’ll see a total of six training grounds scattered across the land. They’re marked by a bright yellow circle, and if you can complete the challenge within, you’ll gain a weapon upgrade depending on how well you do in the challenge.

For example, at Training Ground 1, a bronze performance will get you an ergonomic handle for Fox. Silver will get you an expansive converter for the MP. And a gold performance will get you an extended magazine for the KS-23 and Reverse Shot for Zvezdochka.

But if you head straight to the training ground, you’ll soon find that the door is sealed. The only way to open it is by using the white squid-like machine that you used to open the gate of the village you just escaped.

In order to find the right machine, scan the area around the training grounds. You’ll likely see a white platform. Head to the top of it, and you’ll see a squid machine. Interact with it, and you’ll be brought to a map.

Related: How to Load Weapon Cartridges in Atomic Heart

Your goal is to now find the camera that is looking at the door of the training grounds. Flicker between the cameras until you get a button prompt. Click it… and you’ll get no indicator that it worked. But it did, I promise.

With that done, exit the squid machine and head towards the mushroom building that houses the training ground. And that’s how to access the training ground in Atomic Heart. Good luck with the challenges ahead!