THE Callisto Protocol could be easily confused for the upcoming Dead Space remake, after all, it is made by some of the original game’s developers.
Whether you like the look of the remake, or this which has been described as a spiritual successor, it’s easy to see that early 2000s sci-fi horror is back.
It’s not for the faint of heart.
The last installment of Dead Space came out in 2013, and since then sci-fi horror games have been thin on the ground.
Alien Isolation is the only one that stands out from the crowd, and it is widely believed to be one of the scariest games ever made.
The Callisto Protocol is being made by the studio created by Glen Schofield, the executive producer of the original Dead Space.
Playing this new game, it’s easy to see how Schofield has built on the excellence of his previous games.
You feel the world around you intensely, both in terms of the oppressive atmosphere, and the sense of space.
In The Callisto Protocol you play as an inmate in an orbital prison, where an infection has spread, causing people to turn into monsters.
Despite the monotony of the metal environment, you can still figure out a good lay of the land, and how everything fits into place.
It mixes puzzles and explorations in wide open rooms, where you can carefully plan the best route to take.
Then it will surprise you with dark, narrow corridors and sharp turns, bringing back that sense of feeling trapped.
The sound design is excellent. Even in moments where you feel safe, screams echo off in the distance.
Music is used sparingly, as the developers know the terrifying power of silence.
Even moments you can anticipate coming, such as a nasty scare as you approach a health pick up located conspicuously in front of a screen of fog, still manage to grab you.
There are three main forms of combat, and each is fairly simple to use, but limited in a way, which forces you to constantly switch between them.
The panic you feel when attacked flows easily into the fast-paced thinking required when fighting off an enemy.
This works well, with intuitive controls that never leave you flustered in the heat of battle.
The Callisto Protocol also works in RPG elements that allow you to improve your weapons and learn new combat abilities.
However, in the early game, what you can do is very bare bones, adding to the realism of the situation.
With a launch so close to that of the Dead Space remake, there is a lot of pressure on The Callisto Protocol to perform.
If the full game builds on what we played at the preview event, then it will be a tight race indeed.
Written by Ryan Woodrow and Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
