The Callisto Protocol: A gem in the rough that needs (a lot of) polishing

In December 2020, in the midst of a collective request from fans of horror games for the return of “Dead Space”, behold, Striking Distance Studios, a studio composed of those who have worked on the horror series developed by the former Visceral Games, revealed a trailer for an exciting new game: “The Callisto Protocol”. Game that would then be like a spiritual successor to the “Dead Space” series, but in a new setting, with impressive graphics and, of course, without missing the promise of the return of visceral deaths and the characteristic horror of the original source.

But after two years of its presentation, does “The Callisto Protocol” deliver what it promises?

Detailed graphics and sound go hand in hand

Right off the bat, the game shows impressive graphics. There are countless details to fill the eyes of the most demanding players and pixel hunters. The character models are very detailed and the cutscenes are the highest point of the game, which shows that the developers wanted to show themselves in the best possible way. The game also supports Ray Tracing effects for shadows and reflections to further enhance its dark ambiance.

Of course, for a game made by the creators of “Dead Space”, detailed character models and enemies, dismemberments and explicitly violent deaths could not be lacking, which in this game received even greater attention.

The audio work is also up to par: When walking through the scenarios, everything makes some noise and at all times the game tries to put the player on the edge of the chair, perhaps trying to prepare for something that might be lurking. Using a headset is almost mandatory.

In summary, the artistic choice of the game is impressive, even more so considering the scenario in which the game takes place.

A brief curiosity: “The Callisto Protocol” was going to take place in the same universe as “PUBG: Battlegrounds”, but the developers gave up on the idea and decided to keep the game in its own universe.

A feeling of Déjà-vu

But if the audiovisual experience is excellent, the same cannot be said of several other factors present in the game.

After a brief opening showing some events, you step into the shoes of Jacob Lee who is with his partner Max Barrow, transporters hired by the UJC (United Jupiter Company). Both are preparing to make one last delivery, in the Black Iron prison on Callisto, after passing on Europa (both moons of Jupiter).

After that, the story of “The Callisto Protocol” is very simple and predictable in many os its plot points. Despite the excellent acting work of the cast, which features famous actors who provide the voices and motion capture for the characters, such as Josh Duhamel in Jacob’s skin and Karen Fukuhara in Dani’s, you walk through the corridors of Black Iron noticing many similarities with several well-known games besides “Dead Space”. It’s not unpleasant, but for those who estimated that this game would be something completely different, they might be disappointed at this point.

The gameplay tries to differentiate itself, placing a greater focus on combat with melee weapons, with a dodge and defense scheme. In my experience, that is not a problem, but for others this can be a detriment.

Limited combat, with powerful enemies

The game also seems to know its limitations and, in its normal difficulty, it holds its hand in placing enemies, sometimes looking like it is afraid to make the experience frustrating, since the enemies are sometimes agile and some cause absurd damage.

Firearms appear a little later in the game and can offer a variety of combat and defense. Both types of weapons can be upgraded in the game’s stores as long as the player collects its internal currency.

And the GRP (Gravity Restraint Projector) could not be missing, which is a glove that can manipulate gravity, but which in the game basically only has the functionality of pulling and pushing objects and enemies. Its use becomes very important, as the corridors of Black Iron are full of walls with spikes and mechanisms that can be used to defeat enemies. Here, this is a positive point of gameplay, as the GRP with upgrades, in addition to self-recharging, can become a lethal weapon in the dangerous corridors of the prison.

”The Callisto Protocol” has a divergent experience

If on the one hand, “The Callisto Protocol” has excellent graphics and gameplay that has been known for a long time, on the other hand the experience can be ruined by its technical problems that still exist today on some platforms, even now at the time of this analysis, after several patches with fixes.

The replay factor of the game may end up being limited to achievements, since even with the recent New Game+ mode added in one of the last updates, it is difficult to convince the player returning to the game, lacking content beyond what is needed in the main story.

But what about streaming? If you opt for the PC version, broadcasting the game livestreaming may pose technical barriers and will depend on your hardware, especially your video card, and it may be necessary to reduce the game’s graphic quality a little. Using an SSD reduces loading times and issues with some game animations, so consider installing the game on such a drive.

However, it can be a game that can hold the viewer’s attention, despite its clichés and a predictable script. My personal experience was positive and I can only hope that in a possible sequel, Striking Distance Studios will learn from the game’s mistakes and come up with a game that surpasses the source material.

Katsutoshi