As its December 2 release date continues to approach, The Callisto Protocol took the opportunity of its spot at Summer Game Fest to show potential players a gameplay demonstration. The third-person survival horror game is the first outing from Striking Distance Studios, a development team first formed with the intent of creating narrative driven experiences in the PUBG: Battlegrounds universe. Instead, Striking Distance is well on the way to releasing a spiritual successor to the Dead Space series, and The Callisto Protocol‘s gameplay reveal shows just how much of the game’s DNA comes from the 2008 classic.
While the similarities are striking, The Callisto Protocol‘s Dead Space vibes are intentional, a byproduct of the project’s lead developer. The original Dead Space was the brainchild of Callisto Protocol director Glen Schofield when he was employed at now-defunct Visceral Games, formerly EA Redwood Shores. In 2019, Schofield became the CEO of Striking Distance with the studio poised to expand the PUBG property beyond its influential battle royale. In just three years, however, Striking Distance has put together a sci-fi game much different than what the studio was originally created for.
The Callisto Protocol puts players in control of Jacob Lee, an inmate at the Black Iron prison colony, located on one of Jupiter’s many moons, Callisto. Lee is thrust into a terrifying scenario seemingly caused by experiments orchestrated by Black Iron’s benefactor, the United Jupiter Company. Having been removed from the PUBG universe, Callisto Protocol sees players marooned in Black Iron Prison as it’s infested with what appears to be mutated, mindless, and exceptionally violent prisoners. Given Schofield’s credentials and early previews, Dead Space and sci-fi horror fans will appreciate The Callisto Protocol‘s gameplay.
The Callisto Protocol Uses Minimal HUD During Gameplay
The Callisto Protocol seems to have adopted one of the most celebrated features from Dead Space – a diegetic heads-up display. Leaving out HUD elements is a common tactic for gameplay reveals, but it was confirmed to PC Gamer back in 2020 following The Callisto Protocol‘s announcement that the game would use a similar in-universe design in regards to the displaying player character’s health. The new gameplay footage further demonstrates that this design choice will encapsulate a majority of the HUD as well, with the ammo for the currently equipped weapon being shown on a holographic display.
The first Callisto Protocol gameplay trailer from the recent PlayStation State of Play reinforced the Dead Space influences, but this new raw footage confirms that the only difference seems to be a superimposed crosshair. Rather than a health meter vertically down the spine, Jacob Lee seems to have it running across the back of his neck. It’s unclear if this has any significance, but the most obvious assumption is it being an implant given to all Black Iron prisoners, in which case it may also play a role in the narrative, rather than serving only as a diegetic gameplay mechanic.
Gameplay Showed A Few Callisto Protocol Weapons & Outfits
The Summer Game Fest footage gave players an idea of what tools will be at their disposal when confronting the monsters in Black Iron Prison. Callisto Protocol gameplay is more brutal than expected, due in large part to the detailed gore inflicted by what appears to be a large caliber handgun. Striking Distance Studios also adopted Dead Space‘s penchant for dismemberment, and this was most commonly seen as a result of arms getting blown off by Lee’s pistol. Players also have melee attacks at their disposal, but the most enticing combat mechanic shown is known as the Grip. It seems to be some sort of telekinetic ability that operates like the Gravity Gun from Half-Life, letting players snatch enemies into the air before flinging them in any direction. The Callisto Protocol‘s gore was further displayed when the demonstration shows Lee throwing a monster into an industrial fan with the Grip.
The Callisto Protocol won’t have co-op multiplayer like the third Dead Space, but it does appear to have inherited the series’ incremental outfit upgrades. The beginning of the gameplay demo shows Lee in his bright orange prisoner jump suit. Later in the trailer, when it jumps to a separate clip, he’s outfitted in some sort of armor or space suit. It’s possible this is only a cosmetic change, equipped so the player can traverse Callisto’s surface, but the handgun appears to have been upgraded in the second clip too, with a new holographic display around the end of its barrel. It seems likely that The Callisto Protocol will let players earn incremental upgrades for their equipment.
The Callisto Protocol’s Monsters Come In Many Forms
Earlier trailers for The Callisto Protocol have shown that players will encounter all kinds of mutated horrors, many of which haven’t yet been seen in action. If The Callisto Protocol wants to surpass Dead Space, it’s going to have to deliver on its monsters from both a variety and gameplay standpoint. Dead Space‘s Necromorphs are iconic horror creatures, and the gameplay trailer for Callisto Protocol hints that it may be able to deliver a similarly satisfying array of horror shows. The first half of the demonstration, which is presumably from quite early in the game, shows enemies that are little more than zombies. Dismemberment appears to be an effective strategy, though removing a leg won’t necessarily stop the creatures.
Of these first two monsters, one appears to be much larger than the other, possibly dealing and absorbing more damage than its smaller counterpart. In the gameplay demo’s latter section, a mutant spits some sort of acid at Lee, indicating there will be a wide range of attacks players will have to learn to deal with. Summer Game Fest had trailers with little variety, but Lee getting pushed into some sort of industrial equipment shortly after this and getting violently turned into pulp was one of the more visceral moments of the showcase. Unfortunately this brought the video to a close before other monster types could be seen in a gameplay context. More of The Callisto Protocol will almost certainly be shown off prior to its release later this year, but the Summer Game Fest gameplay reveal gave a quick yet effective look at what players can expect from the game.
