Back in the Fall of 2008, Visceral Games’ Dead Space revolutionized the horror genre. From the atmospheric level and sound composition to the frightening enemy designs, Dead Space set the bar for horror games to come. Striking Distance, a newly formed Krafton-owned studio led by Dead Space veteran Glen Schofield, aims to hit the same horror highs with their latest release, The Callisto Protocol. This sci-fi survival is touted as being a “next-gen” evolution of the horror genre. But do the cells of Black Iron Prison hold true to their claims?
Houston We Have A Problem
The Callisto Protocol opens to the distant future, the year 2302. Cargo carriers Jacob Lee and his co-pilot Max Barrow are on their last delivery before retirement. The final delivery doesn’t go as planned, as their ship, the UJC Charon, is soon boarded by a reported terrorist organization known as the Outer Way. Upon meeting Outer Way leader Dani Nakamura, she badly damages the UJC Charon’s cargo bay, forcing Jacob to request emergency clearance back to Callisto, which is the third-largest moon in the solar system. Upon crash-landing, Max is badly injured and passes away shortly after. While mourning the loss of his friend, Jacob and Dani are taken into custody by Black Iron Prison security. Jacob now must escape his wrongful imprisonment, all while discovering the secrets hidden within the dead moon of Callisto.
Chaos Lives In Everything
All Hell breaks look within The Callisto Protocol’s opening moments. Jacob finds himself alone in a dark high-security penitentiary. As he progresses through the malfunctioning Black Iron Prison, he will discover that it has become overrun by former inmates, turned mutated abominations. These monsters are bloodthirsty and will stop at nothing to take down every last human. The Callisto Protocol has an incredibly strong opening but tapers a bit as it progresses. The story is engaging enough to keep players on their toes, however, big plot points start to become a bit predictable.
Close Combat
Callisto Protocol is a 3rd person survival horror, with a strong emphasis on melee combat. Initially starting out, Jacob will only have a Stun Baton at his disposal. This baton will become his go-to weapon, as most of The Callisto Protocol’s combat takes place in small corridors. Melee combat is executed via the controller’s bumpers. While attacking foes, it is important that Jacob be dodging all attacks. Avoiding oncoming blows is handled via the left analog stick. Moving left or right, before an attack, will cause Jacob to dodge in said direction. Pushing the analog stick back will result in a block. Effectively pulling off dodges and blocks will help preserve Jacob’s limited health.
Variety is Key
While Jacob’s melee attacks will prove to be the most useful line of defense, he will also come across an assortment of firearms. The first of which he comes across is the Hand Cannon; which is essentially a basic single-fire pistol. Some enemies are better managed with a firearm. If an enemy is in the process of mutation, shooting the exposed tentacles is crucial to stopping their transformation. There are a variety of other weapons for Jacob to discover throughout his quest for survival. These can be purchased with The Callisto Protocol’s in-game currency, Callisto Credits, in conjunction with discovered weapon schematics. In addition to his baton and firearms, Jacob is also equipped with the GRP glove. This gravity-defying piece of technology allows him to pick up and fling enemies and objects. Combined usage of Jacob’s arsenal, as well as his surroundings, is crucial for survival.
Save Your Pennies
Callisto Credits are acquired by smashing in the corpses of fallen foes, inside items around the environment, and hidden within purple glowing caches. Miscellaneous energy converters, CPU printers, and decoders can also be picked up and sold to Reforge Stations in exchange for credits. Callisto Credits are sparse, and should only be used sparingly. While Reforge Stations can be used to purchase new weapons, ammunition, and health injections, they can also be used to upgrade preexisting weapons. Each weapon has its own skill tree, unlocking additional upgrades and abilities as previous ones are purchased. Jacob’s limited inventory space must be taken into account, so it is highly advised that Callisto Credits be saved for a select few weapons.
Visually Engrossing
The majority of The Callisto Protocol takes place within the Black Iron Prison, located on the dead moon of Callisto. Callisto Protocol’s environments are dark and desolate, filling players with dread. The game’s engine, Unreal Engine 5, takes full advantage of its HDR capabilities, amplifying just how realistic its atmosphere appears. The game’s textures are crisp, and facial models are highly detailed to the point of uncanny valley. Enemies are incredibly grotesque, further adding to that overarching feeling of impending doom. Callisto Protocol’s visual presentation, combined with its engaging storyline, makes an experience that truly feels made for next-generation hardware.
Artificial Inflation
In many ways Callisto Protocol feels next-generation, however, some of its downfalls date the experience. For starters, the game’s length isn’t very long, clocking in at about 12 hours. The gameplay feels artificially extended by its autosave checkpoint system. While the game is consistently autosaving, the space between checkpoints can vary greatly. This can result in having to repeat the same section over again, despite already clearing out specific enemies. While annoying, this does also encourage players to experiment around with taking different approaches. The Callisto Protocol does not feel too short, for the type of experience it is offering, however, it does feel a bit lite given it has a suggested retail price of $70.
Post Game Protocol
Upon completing The Callisto Protocol, another glaring omission becomes immediately apparent; the lack of New Game +. The nature of Callisto Protocol’s gameplay results in players completing the story without experiencing every weapon’s full capabilities. In addition to weapons, it is possible for players to miss the various Data-BIOS (audio logs) hidden within the levels. A New Game + mode would encourage replayability, as well as promote achievement hunters to discover all of the hidden objectives. This is, however, something that could easily be patched into the game via a future update.
Closing Thoughts
While The Callisto Protocol is Striking Distance Studio’s first horror game, it’s evident the talent behind the studio has experience in the genre. The game doesn’t necessarily offer up anything to revolutionize the genre, but it does refine what makes survival horror such a thrill. Between exploring Black Iron Prison, and discovering the secrets that haunt, The Callstio Protocol is an atmospheric fright! Mechanically rough around the edges, but an overall sound experience for those with a taste for terror!
The Callisto Protocol is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.
A copy of the game was provided for the purpose of this review.
