The Callisto Protocol review: as good as Dead Space?

In space, no one will hear you scream… Earlier this month, the very young developer Striking Distance Studios sent me his very first game, The Callisto Protocol. Edited by Krafton, this game available on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PS4 and PS5 leads us into a universe that mixes horror and science fiction. Sounds like a well-known franchise to you, doesn’t it? Let’s talk regarding it in my test de The Callisto Protocol made from a press version of the game!

Well then, isn’t this the new Dead Space?

Well no, The Callisto Protocol has nothing to do with Dead Space, although one might say that the two games are, in a way, cousins. It is true that when I saw the first images of The Callisto Protocol, like many other people, I tended to compare it with the TPS of Visceral Games, which necessarily influenced a lot my expectations and my way to project myself. However, it is important to note that The Callisto Protocol is not Dead Space. It’s a game that has its own identity.

Welcome to the charming moon Callisto!

To start, the main plot of The Callisto Protocol takes place in a prison universe. Indeed, our hero finds himself on a prison planet following the crash of his ship (oh dear, but what does the future seriously hold for us?). Unfortunately (or fortunately for that matter), his imprisonment will be short-lived because an epidemic will spread like the C virus in Resident Evil, transforming all of his congeners into frightful and murderous creatures (well yes, otherwise it wouldn’t be funny). I honestly got caught up in the story right from the start and stuck with it until the end so much the atmosphere is really well transcribed. Of course, as you can imagine, prison is only a starting point; our dear hero will obviously travel through other environments on this hostile and mysterious planet.

Test of The Callisto Protocol: beauty and beasts

In this test of The Callisto Protocol, let me tell you that the main role is provided by actor Josh Duhamelknown for his participation in the series Las Vegas as well as in the saga Transformers (he is also the ex-husband of Fergie des Black Eyes Peas for those who follow the gossip). At his side, we find the wonderful Karen Fukuhara that you might see recently in Bullet Train, Suicide Squad or the incredible series The Boys. Scriptwise, the duo works very well and their relationship will evolve a lot as the story progresses.

Get ready for tough battles!

Facing them is a varied bestiary composed of many monsters and creatures each more repulsive than the other. The exploits of our hero during the fight scenes are also particularly graphic and gory. Sensitive souls refrain ! To top it all, each of these critters has its own way of being wiped out. It will therefore be necessary to choose the best strategies to get rid of them in the most economical way possible (the ammunition is quickly becoming rare), or, failing that, by limiting the breakage (the syringes of care do not run the streets).

Fists, pistols or telekinesis? Up to you…

As I told you, you are going to have to face a wide variety of very different enemies, but the good news is that your arsenal is also very rich ! This is one of the points that I appreciated the most in this game (even if I might read that some fellow testers were not very happy with it). Indeed, the hero begins by defending himself with the strength of his arms… Finally… Let’s say that he is well helped by a metal bar which will evolve quite quickly into an electric baton! This weapon, particularly effective on basic enemies, requires some dexterity because you must be close enough to enemies to use it effectively. But proximity also has its disadvantages: you will have to dodge and block your opponents’ blows or your energy bar will quickly run out.

A duo of actors really at the top!

If the system is quite efficient (on PlayStation 5, you just have to play with the joysticks), the case thickens when you find yourself facing several enemies. Luckily for you, you later get a gun that will allow you to keep certain creatures at bay. As you progress through the story, you will be able to customize your weapon, improve it and even make new ones with more destructive potential (my advice: keep as many bullets as possible for the end of the game!). To finish, thanks to a technology implanted in the arm, our hero will also develop telekinetic gifts. You will be able to lift your opponents in the air, eject them once morest spikes or even dismember them from a distance! As you will have understood, in The Callisto Protocol, there are as many enemies as there are ways to kill: you can have fun choosing your favorite combat modes and developing the appropriate skills as you progress through the game.

Lifetime level, it is necessary to count regarding ten hours to complete the story (much like in Dead Space, I think). The difficulty, meanwhile, is well balanced and really increases crescendo. So don’t rest on your laurels and seek to perfect your combat techniques as much as possible!

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To conclude, this test of The Callisto Protocol was a great gaming experience for me. I thought I saw that the game was not unanimous with everyone but for my part I found it really interesting both in terms of script and gameplay. Small bonus for PS5 owners: the sensations at the level of the DualSense are really very worked and allow even more to immerse themselves in this galactic nightmare! If the game appeals to you, please go through this link !

Editor’s note

• Gameplay – 7.5/10
  
• Lifetime – 6.5/10
  
• Graphics – 9/10
  
• Script – 7.5/10
  

The pluses and minuses

✔︎ Graphics!
✔︎ The heavy ambiance!
✔︎ Variety of gameplay!

✘ The difficulty at times…
✘ Confused gameplay once morest hordes.

7.6/10