The upcoming survival-horror gameThe Callisto Protocolis garnering some serious hype in the run-up to launch. As a spiritual successor to the critically acclaimedDead Spaceseries,The Callisto Protocolis attempting to recapture the tense gameplay of that beloved older franchise while forging its own unique identity.
The horror and gore inDead Spacewas imperative to the franchise’s success, andThe Callisto Protocolis clearly aware of this. During Gamescom Opening Night Live, it showcased a fascinating new mutation system that is utilized by enemies during combat, something that appears to go above and beyond what fans are used to fromDead Space.
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The Callisto Protocol’s Pedigree
The Callisto Protocolis a third-person, graphic horror game from the mind of Glen Schofield, co-creator oftheDead Spacefranchiseand founder of Sledgehammer Games. With this creative mind at the helm,Callistois very muchembracing its roots. The title is set on the Callisto moon of Jupiter in the year 2320, initially taking place within Black Iron Prison. Players will take control of protagonist Jacob Lee, who is forced to navigate his way through the tumultuous facilities on Callisto due to the growing presence of mutated inmates and staff overrunning the prison.
LikeDead Space, the survival-horror elements of the game mean that players will have to conserve resources and ammo in their fight against the infected. As can be expected, they will face a litany ofhorrific and gory death animationsshould they fall victim to the mutated horde.
The Mutation System Within The Callisto Protocol
A core factor ofDead Spacewas the creative ways in which players could dismember and eliminate the intimidating and horrific enemies that populated each environment. With detailed death cutscenes providing an elevated level of threat and intimidation to the range of enemies inDead Space, combat was inherently tense.
As showcased inThe Callisto Protocolgameplay revealed at Gamescomthis year, the upcoming title has a new element that sets it apart from the older combat of theDead Spaceseries. Enemies can undergo mutations in the middle of engagements, which will see enemies begin to sprout tendrils. If left alone, these tendrils will let the enemy mutate into a larger and more powerful version of their base level, giving a direct impetus for the player prioritize to tendrils. Mutated enemies appear more imposing and dangerous than their non-mutated counterparts, only adding to the horror and chaos of tense encounters inThe Callisto Protocol.
While themany enemies of theDead Spacefranchisealso led to intense gameplay, it is undeniable that the addition of mutations inThe Castillo Protocoladds an entirely new foreboding factor to combat. Many fans will be happy with the upcoming game’s overt homages and inspirations from theDead Spacefranchise, but it is commendable thatThe Callisto Protocolis building upon those inspirations to curate a unique experience.
The Callisto Protocollaunches December 2 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
