Callisto Protocol attempts to set itself apart from its obvious imitator end up shooting it in the space-zombie chewed off foot. Created by PUBG developer Striking Distance and helmed under original Dead Space co-creator Glen Scofield, It's pretty clear that it was their goal to bring a new horror experience without being a direct DEAD SPACE competitor. But how is it in 2023?
Callisto Protocol follows a renegade cargo pilot as he is thrown into a mysterious deep space prison. Shortly after an encounter with the prison security chief, (played masterfully by Star Wars Rebels' Sam Witter, who is chewing up scenery as usual) a mysterious outbreak happens and the prison is flooded with strange zombie-like creatures. Jacob begins his terrifying and unsettling quest to escape after befriending a fellow inmate who has a desperate plan, that of course, is doomed to fail.
This Sci Fi horror opus is visually stunning, and has some of the most impressive performance capture tech I've ever seen. Josh Dunmal's Jacob even glances cautiously behind his shoulderas he navigates blood soaked metal corridors and death-trap laden labs and offices. The environments have all the earmarks of classic survival horror; flickering lights, ambient mood music and the far in the distance sounds of leaky pipes and malfunctioning electronic doors.
Rather than focusing on gunplay, Callisto Protocol goes for a melee focused dodge and counter attack system. While this new approach is an interesting idea, it's never expanded upon deep enough to make it fully satisfying, and lacks the gameplay variety of other survival horror titles, Dead Space in particular. This is especially apparent in the beginning of the game before you discover one of its many workbenches.
There are many touches that will likely remind many players or the DEAD SPACE UI, such as Jacob having a life meter on the back of his head. After taking down an enemy you can find items after a slamming your boot into your attackers' mangled remains. These heel stomps would be super satisfying if it wasn't for that fact that all of these enemies seem to be relentless damage sponges with no metric to tell you how close they are to death. Early on, you acquire a pistol that can be used as a combat assist, allowing you pull off a head shot. At first the headshot is very reliable. But as you progress a severed head isn't necessarily a kill shot, similar to the Las Plagas that grow tentacles in the recent Resident Evil 4 Remake.
Another combat system is the introduced with a simple stealth mechanic. You can catch aware enemies off of guard with a well-placed backstab. The problem with this system is that it is not always clear when you are seen, as there is no detection system to tell when you have broken their line of sight. This was apparent for me when I approached what I thought was intended to be a stealth encounter. There was a singular enemy standing in one spot, practically begging to be stabbed in the back. However, when I approached the prompt did not appear and not only was I discovered, but this also alerted all the other enemies in the room. Often times this stealth system just doesn't work, causing you to be seen or the prompt simply not showing up.
I was initicialy put off by the combat. I found the melee attacks repetitive and the gun seemed a bit useless. However, after a few more hours, I found that I had found a good rhythm. I feel there is an audience out there that will gel with this combat. They will enjoy the closed in camera, and the tenseness of the up close encounters. The tight quarters forces you to re think your strategy to each group of enemies; what works here will not work in Resident Evil or Dead Space.
Ultimately, the driving force behind what propelled me forward was my interest in the story. While the story isn't particularly compelling, it is shrouded in just enough mystery that I was motivated to finish the admittedly short single player experience. The performances vary from scene to scene and , the whole thing has a late night sci fi channel vibe to it. The story itslef is also full of plot holes and leaves many many questions unanswered, so much so that a recent paid DLC pack adds onto the story. Jacob is at best a serviceable protagonist, but I feel Karen Fukahara's Dani would have made a much more interesting and compelling choice for a lead character.
Later patches also added new game plus, and it's very clear the games length is designed with that in mind. If you are looking for a short and tense horror experience, especially if you are a super fan of the genre, I'd give the one a try. However, if you think this is a Dead Space spiritual successor, id just stick to the playing the recent remake instead.
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