It’s a great time to be a horror fan. With upcoming releases like Resident Evil 4 remake, The Quarry, and the Dead Space remake, there are plenty of scares on the horizon. One arguably overlooked upcoming spooky game is The Callisto Protocol, which aims to be a spiritual successor to Dead Space. During the June 2022 State of Play event, The Callisto Protocol got a new gameplay trailer, showing the game in action for the first time, along with the long-awaited release date. What will this game be like and when will it come out? Here’s what you need to know.
When is The Callisto Protocol release date?
The Callisto Protocol will launch on December 2, 2022. Nothing like a good sci-fi horror game just in time for the holidays, right? Its release date was reiterated during Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022.
What are The Callisto Protocol platforms?
You’ll be able to play The Callisto Protocol when it launches for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
Is there a Callisto Protocol trailer?
Yes, there are several!
As part of the June 2022 State of Play event, Krafton and Striking Distance Studios showed off the first-ever gameplay footage of The Callisto Protocol during a wild trailer. You can watch it above.
During Gamescom Opening Night Live 2022, a new gameplay video was shown, highlighting the “mutation” feature. To keep players on their toes, enemies will morph or mutate during combat and your job is to dispatch of them before they become even deadlier. We also get a look at a particularly gruesome death sequence at the end.
Check out the new trailer above!
Who is The Callisto Protocol developer?
Striking Distance Studios is a new team created by industry veteran Glen Schofield, who is credited as one of the creators of the original Dead Space. The Callisto Protocol is the studio’s first game, but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on what has been shown so far.
Krafton will serve as publisher for this project, best known for working on PUBG. Interestingly, The Callisto Protocol was initially set in the PUBG universe, but it then spun out into its own world.
“Survival horror games have been my passion for decades, and I’m excited to take advantage of the latest consoles to take the genre to terrifying new places when we ship The Callisto Protocol later this year,” Schofield said.
What is The Callisto Protocol story?
This game sends players to Jupiter’s dead moon, the titular Callisto, during the year 2320. In it, you play as Jacob Lee, a cargo ship pilot trapped inside Black Iron Prison. Your goal is to escape the prison while uncovering the dark truth behind the United Jupiter Company.
What will The Callisto Protocol gameplay be like?
This game will blend survival-horror mechanics with third-person shooting, just like Dead Space. In it, you’ll need to scrounge for resources while exploring the deadly Black Iron Prison—all while surviving against the terrifying enemies known as Biophages. Protagonist Lee will have access to a wide variety of weapons like a pistol, shotgun, or baton, along with a gravitational device that allows him to push and pull objects (like Half-Life, maybe?).
During a Game Informer interview (as relayed by GameSpot), The Callisto Protocol Design Director Ben Walker said wants fear to be at the heart of the experience. “We want you to be afraid of single enemies.”
“All these tools we built up for Jacob are to deal with the difficulty as opposed to coming at it from the end of, 'Hey, you can kill all these cool things, now let's make some enemies.' We did it in reverse for that very reason. You feel scared, and you have to make the right calls at the right time.”
Schofield also mentioned that The Callisto Protocol will borrow many ideas from Dead Space, such as the diegetic HUD. Instead of placing an obnoxious health bar on the HUD, Lee’s HP is displayed on his suit, making the game feel more immersive. We’re hoping other mechanics return, like the gut-wrenching curb stomp.
The Callisto Protocol launches for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in December 2022.
