The Callisto Protocol

A sci-fi horror game, The Callisto Protocol follows the blueprint of Dead Space: the cramped rooms of a distant space station are filled with Biophages—zombies that change shape and can only be defeated by tearing them apart in unpredictable close-quarters combat. With a limited arsenal at his disposal, the main character, Jacob Lee, tries to survive this harsh place and escape. The developers reworked some of Dead Space’s best ideas, making The Callisto Protocol a distinctive game set in its own universe rather than a spiritual successor, while also introducing new ideas.

The Callisto Protocol can be described as a close-quarters action game:

Unlike the slow and clumsy main character, enemies are fast, tough, and attack without warning. So combat uses a repeating pattern: dodge an attack, land a series of powerful baton strikes, then block or dodge again—and keep going until the enemy runs out of health.

You have to hit hard and accurately—a Biophage won’t die just from losing a limb. Instead, it will mutate into a stronger form, and you’ll have to finish it off with a gun. Pistols, shotguns, and assault rifles—that’s the entire arsenal. They’re useful and can be upgraded, but you can’t shoot as much as you would in a typical shooter because ammo is scarce.

The GRP glove can throw Biophages around, pull them close for a strike, or toss them into the environment (spikes, grinders, or pits). It also makes it easier to lock onto targets, though this system can be a problem: in close combat, it prevents you from quickly switching between enemies or getting to the most dangerous one.

The near future. A technological disaster on Earth has forced humanity to settle beyond its borders. By 2320, colonies have been established on Jupiter’s moons, and one of them—Callisto—is being used as a maximum-security prison. It’s a quiet place where prisoners disappear forever, and it was quickly taken over by people with ambitious plans.

Circumstances bring the protagonist here, but the game doesn’t stay focused on the prison cells. Every 1.5–2 hours, it moves to a new setting: industrial workshops, hydroponics, secret labs, and even Callisto’s surface.

However, the world suffers from simplistic level design. Tight, winding corridors connect to each other through vents or gaps in the walls. There are no arenas, hiding places, or backtracking. Every location is enclosed by invisible walls, and the environment can only be interacted with in certain areas.

At the same time, the levels themselves look great and play a visual role in the storytelling. The different interiors make it easy to tell a torture chamber from a medical room or laboratory. The artists filled each section with functional objects, themed details, and other decorations, taking care to avoid repetition.

The Callisto Protocol throws players straight into the action. Its opening is intriguing and raises dozens of questions, but after the first chapter, the story almost disappears until the finale, where the writers reveal everything at a rapid pace. Notes, audio and video messages, graffiti on the walls, and other familiar horror-game ways of explaining mysteries are replaced by lore in special guides.

The game has just one main quest, with no side stories about allies or optional objectives. The presentation and script are simple and linear, with plenty of clichés and predictable plot twists. The overall story is reminiscent of Dead Space (human experiments, a secret cult conspiracy, aliens). There aren’t many characters, either in number or screen time, but at least they have lively conversations with the hero, are well motivated, and make good use of their time on screen.

The single-player campaign is standard in every way. We push forward, fight enemies using all the combat options available, collect resources and medkits, upgrade weapons and character attributes, and craft consumables such as ammo and batteries for the glove. You can’t skip upgrades: the bio-phages become more varied and challenging as you progress, forcing you to change your tactics. Inventory space is limited, which also encourages you to upgrade as you go.

Survival only really comes into play on the highest difficulty, where resources are constantly scarce. There’s very little horror, largely due to the oppressive but not frightening atmosphere and the basic, repetitive jump scares, which revolve around enemies trying to grab the player during annoying QTE sequences. On the other hand, the game occasionally delivers spectacular action set pieces: a space shuttle disaster, a high-speed ride through the sewers, a fall into the unknown, and more. The game does a decent job of recreating old sensations in a new setting.