The Callisto Protocol: Release Date, Gameplay, Trailers, And More
Since its reveal at the 2020 Game Awards, The Callisto Protocol has had a lot of mystery and excitement surrounding it. The development team at Striking Distance is made up of many of the creators of Dead Space, which seems to be the primary influence on the title, and its prior connection to the PUBG universe also drew some eyes. With the release of a new trailer that showcases gameplay, and the announcement of a release date, the hype train on The Callisto Protocol is just starting to wind up, so here's everything we know about the release date, trailers, gameplay, and how it was connected to PUBG.
The Callisto Protocol Release Date
Previously, the only release window we had for The Callisto Protocol was sometime in the year of 2022, but after the latest trailer dropped during the PlayStation State of Play for June, we now have a release date of December 2, 2022, putting it right in AAA season.
The Callisto Protocol Trailers
The first trailer for The Callisto Protocol we got a look at debuted at the 2020 Game Awards. It gives us little in terms of gameplay or story hints, but combined with the information we already know it can shed some light. The first thing of note is the health display on the back of the prisoner's neck. Considering this is headed by one of the Dead Space executive producers and has been named as a direct inspiration, then it's expected to be a diegetic HUD element used to heighten immersion.
Shortly after the prisoner is killed in the trailer, we're shown a shadowy figure overlooking screens that shows the alien infestation isn't exclusive to one cell. Perhaps the figure is also a key person in the mystery that shrouds the colony. The trailer ends with a wide shot, showing off an icy looking colony next to Jupiter: Turns out, you’ll be part of a prison colony on one of its 79 moons.
The State of Play trailer that dropped on June 2 also debuted gameplay, confirming our assumptions about the Dead Space influence in the enemy design and the HUD elements. It also shows more of the prison on the moon, along with the outside, where the character needs a special suit to survive the freezing cold.
The Callisto Protocol Gameplay and Story
Click to enlargeWe can only make educated guesses for a lot of the gameplay and story of The Callisto Protocol at this time. The gameplay is confirmed to be a third-person survival horror and will contain both ranged and hand to hand combat in some form to fight enemies known as Biophages.
The extreme weather that is visible in the trailer may also be a suggestion toward the environmental hazards the player may deal with in some way, should they reach the surface. It has been confirmed the game will be a single-player experience only, which should assuage those worried at the potential of co-op ruining the experience which is largely one of the reasons Dead Space 3 was panned.
The colony's prison is called Black Iron Prison and it’s been confirmed you will start the game as a prisoner in the cells. Over the course of the experience, you will explore the colony and uncover its mysteries, including what role the United Jupiter Company really plays behind the scenes. The developer's website does confirm the game will be story-driven, so expect the narrative to take a front seat - although the types of themes that might be explored is very much unknown.
The developers reportedly chose a space prison as the main location, due to the fear it instils in them. One of the leaders of the project, Glen Schoefield stated in an interview with GameRevolution “From a storytelling perspective, it’s very ominous to be a prisoner [as you have] nothing but the clothes on your back.” He also added “From a gameplay perspective, it’s filled with claustrophobic spaces, danger around every corner, and tons of cool design opportunities with lighting and audio.”
They've also made it explicitly clear they're trying to deliver the scariest game of all time, and utilising current-gen tech to bring their world to life is imperative to that. Fans will remember that Dead Space was acclaimed partly for its atmosphere of crushing dread, which was aided by excellent sound design and lighting work. This is something the developers are putting a lot of work into, with the new possibilities of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S that allow for improved 3D soundscapes and higher fidelity that hasn't been available in other horror experiences.
A big surprise early on after its announcement was that the game would be set in the PUBG universe, but we had no idea how exactly it would connect to the existing games. However, Glen Schofield did reveal on Twitter that it now features its own world and timeline.
The Callisto Protocol Screenshots
Thanks to a recent full feature in GameInformer, there have been a few high-resolution in-game screenshots showcasing the protagonist, scenery and gruesome foes that lie in your path. See the below link for a look at some of the older screens.
The Callisto Protocol Platforms
When announced, the game appeared to be very much designed to be for new-gen, pushing the most powerful hardware available and Unreal Engine to its limits to represent the moon of Callisto in all its frozen glory. However, in the latest details released, we now know that The Callisto Protocol will be cross-gen. It will launch on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Although it’s worth noting that what PC platforms the game will launch on is currently unknown; we'd expect it on both Steam and the Epic Games Store.
This is everything you need to know about The Callisto Protocol release date and more, but what about another horror-themed game? Read all about the Pragmata release date, trailers, gameplay, and more here.
