Sticking to what you know can be a reliable way to succeed sometimes, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that one of the creators of Dead Space is back with another slow and terrifying space horror game.
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The Callisto Protocol looks gruesome and gory, and it’s coming out pretty soon, so find out all the key details about it right here.
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The Callisto Protocol release date
We know that The Callisto Protocol will come out on 2 December 2022, just in time to give players a fix of horror before the holidays if they want it.
From what we saw during Summer Games Fest the game does look nicely polished, but as always take the date with a pinch of salt – we’re all getting very used to games getting delayed by now, after all.
The Callisto Protocol platforms
This is a pretty fine-looking game, but that doesn’t mean it’s locked onto newer hardware only – The Callisto Protocol is confirmed for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
That means you’ll be able to enjoy it on just about any modern console you like, apart from the Nintendo Switch.
However, we’d obviously advise that the versions planned for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S will run more reliably and have higher visual fidelity.
The Callisto Protocol story
Interestingly, The Callisto Protocol has had one major change to its story approach, before we get to specifics. When it was first announced, it was billed as part of an expanding universe by publisher Krafton, tieing into its main franchise, PUBG.
That was something that was always going to be a stretch – a science fiction space horror game that tied back into a modern-day battle royale shooter? It’s thankfully been abandoned, too – in May 2022 we had it confirmed that the game is now set in its own world with independent lore.
FYI @CallistoTheGame is its own story and world. It no longer takes place in the PUBG Universe. It was originally part of the PUBG timeline, but grew into its own world. PUBG is awesome, &we will still have little surprises for fans, but TCP is its own world, story and universe.
— Glen A. Schofield (@GlenSchofield) May 26, 2022
That lore sees us playing as Jacob Lee, imprisoned on Callisto, one of Jupiter’s moons, in a jail called Black Iron. Outside his cell, though, things are going absolutely haywire as a mysterious disease or infection tears through the prisoners and prison staff alike.
You’ll soon break free and have one main objective – survive whatever hellish stuff is happening and get off Callisto if you possibly can.
The Callisto Protocol gameplay
Here’s where things get interesting – Glen Schofield, who you can see above discussing the game’s story, is one of the creators of Dead Space, and the similarities between The Callisto Protocol and that blockbuster franchise are incredibly clear.
You once again play as a slow-moving guy with his health bar displayed on the back of his body, using a selection of projectile weapons with ammo counts projected out of their backs rather than superimposed on an intrusive HUD.
It’s also a space-set atmospheric horror game with alien enemies that have mutated and horrifically reshaped human bodies into body-horror monstrosities and includes death animations for when you mess up that could scar you for life.
Things are highly reminiscent, then, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing, and with a remake of Dead Space itself also coming down the pike, things are looking up for sci-fi horror fans.
Schofield has said that ammunition will be scarce at all times, in true survival horror style, so you’ll have to use the environment to help you out, and we’ve seen moments where spinning fans and vents have helped the player get rid of enemies (or be eviscerated themself).
There have also been glimpses of a tech upgrade called Grip, which lets Jacob grab heavy objects, including enemies, to move them about – it opens up a lot of possibilities and looks really cool while you’re using it.
It looks like eerie fun, but the emphasis is also firmly on horror so expect a lot of ratcheting tension and jump scares when you’re least ready for them. You wouldn’t want it any other way!