The Callisto Protocol, arriving at the end of 2022, aimed to revitalize the survival-horror genre in the wake of Dead Space’s absence. While it checks many of the genre’s boxes, it fails to deliver a truly memorable experience, leaving players wanting more. Director Glen Schofield, a veteran of the Dead Space series, returns to the sci-fi horror landscape with this new title.
Set on the Jovian moon Callisto, the game follows Jacob Lee (played by Josh Duhamel) as he navigates the horrors of Black Iron Prison, now overrun by grotesque creatures. Aided by various characters he encounters, Lee must escape Callisto while unraveling the mystery behind the monstrous outbreak.
The Callisto Protocol key art featuring a mutated creature.
The narrative is straightforward, focusing primarily on escaping Black Iron. While this simplicity can be effective in horror, The Callisto Protocol lacks depth, becoming predictable and ultimately unengaging. The predictable plot points made the ending easily foreseeable hours before the climax.
One major flaw is the reliance on audio logs for world-building and lore. While a common practice, Callisto’s implementation is frustrating. Players must pause gameplay and manually access the menu to listen, disrupting the flow and immersion. This archaic design choice feels out of place in a modern game.
The voice acting, however, is a highlight. Josh Duhamel delivers a compelling performance as Jacob Lee, imbuing the character with emotional depth. Karen Fukuhara also shines as Dani Nakamura, adding another strong presence to the cast.
Jacob Lee, the protagonist of The Callisto Protocol, holding a weapon.
The gameplay, unfortunately, is where The Callisto Protocol falters most. Lee acquires a variety of tools, encouraging a mix of melee and ranged combat. Ammo conservation is incentivized, but the melee combat is overly simplistic and quickly becomes repetitive. The basic dodging and blocking mechanics fail to add any significant dynamism.
The weapons, too, are a disappointment. Unlike Dead Space’s creative arsenal, Callisto offers standard variations of pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles. Upgrades and alternate firing modes do little to differentiate them, making the gunplay feel uninspired.
The GRP, a gravity manipulation tool, offers a glimmer of originality. Players can grab objects and enemies, throwing them around the environment or into strategically placed hazards. While not revolutionary, it provides some entertaining moments.
Gameplay screenshot from The Callisto Protocol.
Boss encounters are infrequent and frustratingly difficult. Their ability to instantly kill the player with a single hit, coupled with the clunky combat mechanics, creates an unbalanced and unenjoyable experience. The final boss, in particular, pushes these issues to their limit.
As a horror game, The Callisto Protocol succeeds in creating unsettling environments and disturbing creature designs. The atmosphere effectively captures the desired tone, but the scares are often predictable and reused, diminishing their impact. The lack of genuine scares prevents it from reaching the heights of other survival-horror titles.
Technical performance is a major concern. Playing on the Xbox Series X with the high-fidelity mode resulted in sub-30fps performance, particularly during combat. Some levels were significantly worse, impacting even basic actions. The high-performance mode is the recommended graphical option.
Another gameplay screenshot from The Callisto Protocol, showcasing the environment.
Further compounding the issues were various glitches, including one crash, difficulty picking up items, and respawn issues. While a Day One patch may address some of these problems, the pre-patch experience was marred by technical shortcomings.
The Callisto Protocol isn’t inherently bad, but it doesn’t justify the resurgence of interest in survival horror. With more depth in its gameplay systems and a smoother technical performance, it could have been a much more compelling experience. Ultimately, it serves as a reminder of the potential of the genre and increases anticipation for upcoming survival-horror titles.
Rating: 3 out of 5
The Callisto Protocol is available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC. This review was conducted on an Xbox Series X using a review copy provided by the publisher.
