Masterpiece Sci-Fi Horror『Dead Space』A new sci-fi horror game by Glenn Schofield, the development staff of (Dead Space).The Callisto Protocolwill be released on December 2, 2022.
Denfami was invited by KRAFTON, the publisher of this work, and was able to participate in the pre-play event in Seoul, Korea.
Let’s leave the introduction here and state the conclusion first.
This game is super fun, super scary and crazy.
I definitely recommend it to people who like horror games, and people who like Dead Space, including myself.
The trial time was limited to 70 minutes, but still many“Dangerous Point”found a lot. So, in this article, I would like to tell you regarding 8 dangerous points that I felt while playing “Callisto Protocol”.
Also, at the end of the article, it is the developer of this workMr Glenn SchofieldAlso includes a short interview with. Please also see this.
arts/Existence
【news】
This work was scheduled to be released in Japan on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and PC (Steam), but it was announced that the release in Japan will be discontinued on all platforms including the PC version. rice field.
The reason for the cancellation was that it was not possible to obtain a CERO rating. It was decided that changing the game content to obtain a rating would not give the player the experience they expected.
For this reason, refunds will be provided to those who have reserved this work in Japan. In addition, it is said that Japanese is recorded for those released overseas.I myself learned regarding this matter following writing this article, so it is very disappointing.
However, there is no doubt that this work is a very interesting game, and it is a work that I personally want to recommend.
As mentioned above, the overseas version also includes Japanese, so if you are interested in this work, please get the overseas version and play it.
Dangerous point 1: The enemy is really tough!
The stage of this work is the future of 2320. Black Iron Prison, located on the moon Callisto, also known as the “moon of death,” suddenly found prisoners one day“Bio Purge”Transformed into a creature called, causing havoc.
player is a prisonerJacob Lee(played by Josh Dehamel), while confronting creatures, we will approach the terrifying secret of the United Jupiter Corporation, which manages this planet.
That’s why the hero explores the Black Iron Prison with a handgun and a stun baton for security in one hand … …
“Bio Purge”, the main enemy of this work,This guy is really cool! !
Ammunition for guns is precious, so basically you’ll hit them with a stun baton for proximity,You can’t defeat even a normal small enemy unless you hit the punch → punch → punch combo 2-3 times.
Moreover, the main character this time is not a super engineer like Isaac from “Dead Space”, but just a cargo ship pilot. So once you land a combo, he loses momentum, so you need to regain your balance once and aim for the enemy’s opening.
In other words, it’s basically designed to be “no brute force”.
Instead, by tilting the L stick left or right along with the enemy’s attack, you can dodge the enemy’s attack brilliantly.“Dodge”It has a function. It’s quite difficult to get used to, but if you dodge well, bullet time will be activated for a moment, so you can put in a follow-up attack there.
In other words, this work“It’s basic to hit scary creatures at zero distance.”is. That’s a bad design.
Dangerous Point 2: Ammo is soooo low! !
Since this work is such a design,Ammunition is very low like a natural rightis.
Therefore, if you try to defeat an enemy with only a handgun from a long distance, you will run out of bullets in no time.
There are only two ways to obtain them, basically picking them up on the map or randomly dropping them when you crush an enemy.Drops include recovery medicine and“GRP” (grip)Replenishment medicine, money, etc. are also included, so it is not stable.
So,The main use of the gun is “pursuit in close combat”will be When hitting an enemy with a stun baton, a round marker will appear when the enemy loses balance. If you quickly press L2 → R2 at that timing, you can pursue the enemy’s vital points with the handgun and deal even greater damage.
By doing this, you can kill enemies efficiently while saving ammunition.
You can’t! ! ! !
I let out a loud voice. excuse me. I know it in my head. But Kreacher is really scary,When we hit each other, I get really impatientThat’s right.
In particular, the point where multiple enemies come out is seriously dangerous. Even if it’s just one body, it’s a deadly fight, but when there are multiple of them, it’s already temperamental.
“Oh no, I’m going to die!! Shoot, shoot!! Tick” “Ah…”How many times have you died like that?
Dangerous point 3: Recovery is so slow! ! !
I think you can roughly understand that “ammo is low”, but of course the number of recovery medicines is also limited.
Moreover,It’s so slow to use recovery medicineis. It feels like it takes regarding 5 seconds. So, of course, even if you’re in a pinch during a battle with an enemy, you don’t have time to use recovery potions.
On the contrary, once I retreat and recover in a safe place, the enemy catches up and hits me (this is probably due to my poor play).
However, there is no doubt that the slowness of this recovery action gives the battle of this work a considerable sense of urgency.
Every time I use a recovery potion, I’m sure I’ll feel like, “I’m not taking a break in such a dangerous place!”
Dangerous point 4: The enemy is super smart!
I think that the strength of the enemies in this work has been quite conveyed so far, but in addition to that, the enemies in this work aresuper smartis.
First, the enemy will see your attack closely. If you swing the stun baton properly, you will be avoided and hit normally.
In addition, even when multiple bodies appear, they will set up nasty actions. I want to destroy each of them one by one, but they suddenly approach me and try to make a pincer attack with another enemy behind me. Or, when you’re fighting an enemy in front of you, a distant enemy shoots something like puke from its mouth to support you.
In “Dead Space”, I was able to survive most of the crisis by staying calm, not panicking, and shooting the enemy’s leg to cut it off.
HoweverIn this work, the enemies are stiff, so you can’t bring them down unless you shoot 3-5 shots at their legs.Moreover, even if the enemy is knocked down and only the upper body is left, it will approach at a reasonable speed. Also, even if it is only the upper body, it will attack normally, so it will die normally.
I never thought I’d miss Dead Space’s starting weapon, the Plasma Cutter, so much.
Dangerous point 5: And if you’re lazy, tentacles will come out and you’ll be in a big pinch! !
And the best part is that if you are slow to defeat an enemy, tentacles will come out from the enemy’s chest and mutate into a more powerful creature.“Mutation”system.
When you’re fighting an enemy and the tentacles pop out, well~~ this is what makes me so impatient.Even if a tentacle appears, if I calmly shoot the tentacle or hit it to kill it, there will be no problem… As I said earlier, even if you know it in your head, when you face the situation, panic is inevitable.
Because of this system, in this gameIt is very important to “kill” the enemyis. If you don’t kill enemies, stomp them, and even drop items, you won’t feel safe at all.
In terms of the game system, it would be ideal to “destroy each one quickly and smartly”, but it doesn’t quite work out that way.
Strong, smart and deadly enemies, less ammo and healing, and this mutation. “Callisto Protocol” is a complex intertwining of these various elements,Constantly make the player rush and shake their calm judgmentIt has a nice design like this.
Dangerous point 6: The development people are really good at playing!
So, the author probablyFor regarding 30 minutes, I continued to die miserably in the hallway where four enemies appeared.
Perhaps because he mightn’t see the situation, he said, “There is a scene I want to show you,” so I asked the development person to take over the play and proceed to the scene in question.
 |
No, this person really runs…!
In contrast to the author, who was always holding a handgun while twitching in the darkness and advancing slowly, he runs through Black Iron Prison crisply. Well, I’m a developer, so it’s only natural.
Or rather, I learned for the first time that I can run with the L1 button.In the first place, the concept of “running” completely disappeared from my head.
And of course the creatures that block their way. The development team uses the familiar GRP (grip) to attract the enemy, hit them immediately, and then follow up with the handgun.
No, this person is really good…!
He quickly performs a triple combo of grip -> punch -> handgun twice to deal with the enemy. I see, how should I use the grip like this…!
GRP (grip) is a function that allows you to manipulate gravity.In addition to being able to attract objects falling on the map and throw them at the enemy, you can also attract the enemy itself and throw it at dangerous machines such as propellers and rollers scattered around the map for instant death.
It’s pretty powerful when you write it like this, but it’s not very effective unless it’s flammable, and I didn’t know how to use it effectively because I didn’t always have a dangerous machine nearby.
However, following watching the developer’s transcendence play, I finally understood the strength of the grip. The strength of the grip is more important than “using the environment and objects”For the time being, if you grip the enemy, you can “temporarily disable it”It’s there.
Instead of throwing the gripped enemy, release it on the spot and hit it immediately. That way, you can effectively take damage even where there is nothing available around you.
I wasn’t able to make the most of that strength at the trial, but whether or not I can use the grip well is likely to be the difference between life and death.
Dangerous point 7: There are too many variations of “Shini-sama”, which makes me laugh!
It is familiar to “Dead Space” fans,A rich variety of grotesque “dead”is still alive in this work. There are many patterns of being killed by such a small enemy, and even the curiosity of “What kind of death will it be this time?”
 |
It’s a pity that I can’t tell you with images this time due to the material that I can show you, but I will list the situations that I was able to confirm at the demo.
・From head to toe!
・Blinded by being knocked down!
・My head turned 180 degrees!
・Somehow, my right arm came off!
・Uppercut that hunts defenseless jaws → Not only the jaws, but also the face!
・A spinning propeller suddenly appears in Splash Mountain, and the torso and body are two!
This is how most deaths are tragic.At first, you might want to look away from the excessive grossness, but as you continue to die over and over once more, it will gradually become that way.Like a dynamic death, strange laughter wells upis also the point.
Dangerous point 8: The UI design that makes you feel the intention is too beautiful!
The last dangerous point to tell you is the point that I personally like the most. Familiar with “Dead Space”,A thoroughly truncated UI design that says, “Isn’t the only information you need physical strength?”Just one word “beautiful”.
In this work, the design has evolved further and I felt it was more sophisticated. Not only the health display, but also the display that appears when acquiring items and unlocking keys is displayed in a minimal and smart way, and the player will be immersed in the game world whether they like it or not.
Moreover, in this work, it was left as a last resort at the time of “Dead Space”Navigation functionEven (a line running on the floor telling you where to go) is said to have been deleted. In other words, “Callisto Protocol” is steering in the direction of “making the player get lost, but letting them explore” rather than “not letting the player get lost.”
however,When I actually played it, it was amazing that “I didn’t get lost more than I thought”It is. The map isn’t as intricate as a maze, but it’s not as simple as a linear path.
It’s just the right amount of complexity, and even if you get lost, if you look closely, you’ll discover something like, “Isn’t this the way to go?” This conductor design was also a workmanship that I have to say “beautiful”.
Besides that, the sound design is also excellent.At the point where the creature suddenly jumps out“Dohyang!”I hear a sound like this, but this is scary once more. For that reason, even if you feel that something is going to happen here, you will feel that it is really scary when the creature actually appears.
At the demo, I wore headphones in a dimly lit room, and I think that combined with that environment, the feeling of immersion was further amplified. I would like to encourage all of our readers to play the game with headphones in a darkened room.
The coolest and most dangerous game with the triple threat of “fun, scary, and gross”
So far, I’ve been telling you how dangerous Callisto Protocol is, but what do you think? In writing this article, I looked at the notes I wrote following playing the game, and there were a lot of words “dangerous”, and I had completely lost my vocabulary.
If such a writer can tell you regarding this work once more, this “Callisto Protocol” isThe coolest and most dangerous game with the triple threat of “fun, scary, and gross”That is.
Finally, we would like to introduce Striking Distance Studios, the developers of Callisto Protocol.Mr Glenn SchofieldI would like to conclude the report with an email interview with
──The only weapons that can be used at this trial are handguns and melee weapons, but how many weapons will appear in the product version? What kind of variations are there?
Mr. Glen:
The demo featured a pistol for ranged combat and a stun baton for close combat. Various guns appear in this work, but the true variety is “how players customize weapons using 3D printers”.
Players can unlock new moves and uses for each weapon as they progress through the game.
──The thing that surprised me the most in this demo was the strength and wisdom of the enemies. I enjoyed the battle with a lot of crunch, but on the other hand, I also had this question. As the enemies are strong in this game, if the player is not familiar with the controls, they will die many times and repeat the same scene.
Then, the “fear” that the player initially felt will gradually fade away. regarding it. How do you design the balance between fun and horror in such combat?
Mr. Glen:
Good question. This game is definitely designed to be challenging(We also provide an easy mode for those who wish). That said, our combat system is pretty deep and evolved from past survival horror games.
If a player wants to succeed, he must use all the tools he has: shooting, melee combat, blocking, dodging, and most importantly the gravitational weapon, the GRP. GPR is called “Grip” and can pick up enemies and objects and fling them around the world. When you’re low on ammo, grab an enemy, bring them closer, and hit them with the stun baton.
Also, if you are surrounded by monsters, you can grab them and throw them across the room to gain time, then find a giant fan and throw it in to instantly kill them.
Encounters with enemiesIt’s like a little puzzle that the player has to solveI think so. Through trial and error to figure out how to win, I hope you will feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment when you win a difficult battle.
──The chapter you played this time, andGameplay trailer releasedThen『Uncharted』series and『The Last of Us』From first-class action games such as the series, I got the impression that they were doing “good things” in a good way (for example, the sequence of sliding down the sewer, the scene of sneaking and backstabbing the enemy, etc.).
Are there any other works that inspired or influenced you in The Callisto Protocol? Also, what part of the work do you appreciate?
Mr. Glen:
I’ve been working on Call of Duty for the past 10 years, so I love horror, but I also know a little bit regarding the big action games. That said, The Callisto Protocol is first and foremost a horror game. I’m a big fan of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, so those games have had a big influence on my style.
But lately, I’ve been watching a lot of horror movies and that’s what inspired me the most.The current trend is just cruel. I wanted to make a game like that.We want players to grip the controller tight and feel like they are really fighting for their survival in each battle.
 |
──Like the Dead Space series, I was impressed by the UI designed to thoroughly enhance the sense of immersion in this game. The way items and interactable objects are displayed is also more sophisticated.
Moreover, I was very surprised to hear that the navigation function, which was left as a last resort in Dead Space, does not exist in this work. I’d like to ask why you put more emphasis on “getting the player lost but letting them explore” rather than “not letting the player get lost”.
Mr. Glen:
Thank you for your compliment. One of the most important things in horror game design is to immerse the player. It’s hard to scare if the player isn’t immersed in the game. Being as immersive as possible is a big part of my style.
One of the reasons we didn’t add a map or navigation system in-game was because we thought it would break the immersion. If you were a prisoner in Black Iron Prison, you wouldn’t have a map of where to go.
The lighting, colors, audio, design, etc., were devised to be guided by the environment. Sometimes it’s subtle, and it’s useful without being noticeable in the game. Players also have to hunt around to find the right path at times, but that’s also part of the experience (and challenge!) of escaping from Black Iron Prison.
──Thank you. (end)
