The Callisto Protocol is a game from the developers of Dead Space that makes you wonder, Is The Callisto Protocol worth it? Well, there is a lot to discuss before concluding. Â It looks like the next-gen version of Dead Space. One can feel the essence of Dead Space as soon as the game start. From the menu, health bar, and survival, to the general feel of the game, everything makes it feel like the true successor of Dead Space. It is a good old fashion linear adventure that offers little exploration. The Callisto Protocol is not an easy game that can offer a good experience for fans of the survival horror genre. The focus here is more on Dead Space like sci-fi horror stuff.
Plot and Setting (Spoiler Free)
The Callisto Protocol takes place on Callisto which is one of Jupiter’s moons. You play as Jacob Lee who is a space driver and crash lands on Callisto. After the crash landing you end up in a spooky sci-fi prison. There are zombie-like creatures that unleash upon prison creating chaos. You have to escape from prison. So the main plot of the game is escaping from prison. It is not a story-driven game so the plot is not over the top but it is a good one for a survival horror game. The plot makes it feel more like a sci-fi horror movie.
The adventure and overall experience that The Callisto Protocol game offers through its plot are decent. The art design of levels is good despite not offering much exploration. It is a sci-fi prison with robot guards and other futuristic things. The use of Dark is good, presenting a good sense of dread with the combination of level design. There are a lot of narrow areas and the close camera can be problematic making maneuverability a bit dense.
Levels are good with a decent amount of details despite having little exploration. There are a lot of narrow areas throughout the levels. These narrow area can feel claustrophobic and offers little room for maneuverability. The close third-person camera angle and slow movement of characters can feel like a hindrance. It is understandable since the game is a spiritual successor of The Dead Space.
Gameplay
You are a big man that is going through narrow locations. Combat can be tricky due to the size and speed of your character. You are slow which can create problems. The Callisto Protocol has frontal combat and once you engage in combat, it’s either them or you. You have to take down enemies before they can take you down. Placing distance between you and enemies is not an option. All you can do is block and side step as there is no option for evasion. The Callisto Protocol game takes some time to get used to the combat but once you get the hang of it, it can pretty good.
At times the game might not be as responsive due to the slow nature of your character which can be frustrating. Sometimes you will constantly evade and attack which makes it satisfying. Other times blocking and side stepping might not work making it, a tiresome experience from time to time. There is a lot of focus on Death animation. There are a lot of death animations and the game is hard, so the chances of dying can be quite high.
Combat
The main source of your damage is shooting and melee attacks. Shooting is not complicated, the after-effects and the feedback of the attack are pretty good. You can feel the power of attacks by the way Jacob’s attack connects with enemies. The gore and visual effect accompanied by attacks are also pretty decent. Aiming is easy and does not feel clunky like some other AAA games. You can crouch which lets you get behind enemies for a stealth kill. However, the opportunities to stealth kill are rare. There are only a few sections that offer stealth kill options.
Enemy variety is not that high which can make it feel stale. There can be hick-ups in a particular boss fight but the overall experience overshadows it. Enemies will bust at you from vents, come out of the floor, and jump at you from windows. Such scenarios will keep you rigid throughout the game.
You will weaken the enemies step by step to finish it off. After melee attacks The Callisto Protocol game will give you indicators to shoot a weak spot of an enemy. This incentivizes you to take the arm, leg, or head of the enemy. Taking an arm of an enemy will stop the enemy from swinging too much during combat. Taking a leg will impede its motion and things like that. Certain enemies have tentacle spots, quickly taking tentacle off is a good choice as they can be troublesome if left intact.
Attacks and Movements
Ammo is limited which makes shooting a big deal. Melee is good in the beginning but becomes stale as you keep seeing the same type of attacks. You hit them, they hit you, it’s the same pattern. The Left and right buttons are used for dodge so you have to look at the attack and press the button accordingly. Holding the back button will activate the block. The combat is designed for one on one fights which makes it impractical to fight more than one enemy. Sprinting is the fastest movement at your disposal as there is not much that The Callisto Protocol offers in terms of movements.
Telekinesis is also an important part of The Callisto Protocol game. It will let you throw stuff away and grab them toward you. The intense situations of the game will force you to use all three of your abilities. It wants you to feel Overwhelmed and use all in your power to survive similar to The Last of Us. The game can feel hard and frustrating and things can be tough even when everything is simple.
General Gameplay
At its core, The Callisto Protocol is a survival horror game and all its mechanics revolve around it. Resources are scarce and you have to be careful while shooting. You will find health and armor to survive. Navigate through a small inventory to manage the resources. The game is mostly linear and straightforward but there are some hidden paths and secrets that reward you in the form of resources. You will also find audio logs that will shed light on the background story and explain the lore a bit more.
The Callisto Protocol game is one shot experience so it will be easy to find such things. Losing your way in missions is not a problem, unlike some other games. Checkpoints can be problematic since you do not start with ammo and health. If you are low on ammo and health while in a checkpoint then it can be frustrating. The best way to deal with such a scenario is to start from an earlier save. You cannot skip cut scenes which can be frustrating after you load a checkpoint. All these problems are not as serious as they can be solved with one update.
Weapons
You can collect money from the environment and enemies. Use it at vending machines to print 3D weapons, ammo, and weapon upgrades. Each weapon has an upgrade tree that can make it more powerful. Weapons also have an alternate fire mode similar to Dead Space. Some weapons are good that will dominate the game from start to end while others are not that good. In the end, the choice is yours and what weapons you want to use. If you are a hoarder then you would want to get all the weapons. Otherwise few weapons that match your playstyle will suffice.
General Aspects
The game looks aesthetically pleasing and can take 12 to 16 hours to complete depending on the difficulty and exploration. There is a lot of focus on environmental details. The sci-fi horror aspect is prominent throughout the game and has been done amazingly well.
There are stressful moments in the Callisto Protocol game. The sound effects, animation, and environmental effects make it feel better. Especially the sounds that are coming from far away because they perfectly blend with the feel of the game. Lighting, snow, and fog look good, adding more intensity to a scenario.
Verdict
The Callisto Protocol is a survival horror game that will cater to the fans of Dead Space. It does not offer much replay value since there is no new game plus or anything to look for. If you miss any secrets then you have to play a new game from the begriming. It functions like a movie sequence from beginning to end. At full price, it might not be a good offer since 8 hours is the max playtime.
If sci-fi horror is your cup of tea, then The Callisto Protocol game offers an amazing story and premise. It does not offer an over-the-top story and premise but that is not even the focus since The Callisto Protocol is not a story-driven game. The fact that it establishes its premise as a survival horror experience makes it a pretty decent experience.
Buy from Our Affiliates and Support Play Ludos By Clicking on This Link
