- Publisher: KRAFTON Inc.
- Release Date: Dec 2, 2022
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
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- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Dec 1, 2022A wonderfully exhausting exercise in futility is probably the best way of describing The Callisto Protocol as no matter the strength of my own resolve, I was constantly on edge and reveling in those fleeting moments where the game allowed me to breathe following yet another life-threatening fight. The constant fear and dread incited by the phenomenal visual and sound design are only complemented by the compelling story. The Callisto Protocol is, hopefully, the start of an exciting new franchise, and is another sign that survival horror is anything but dead.
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Dec 1, 2022Everything in The Callisto Protocol is carefully crafted and made with a lot of love for the horror genre. The result is a unique survival experience with an intriguing story and tense captivating gameplay. It redefines what a survival horror can be and it will go down in history as a masterpiece.
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Dec 1, 2022An action horror clearly inspired by Dead Space, but also by Alien and Riddick's movies/games. The Callisto Protocol has promised a lot in recent months and after completing it we can say that it has kept almost all its words. Get ready for a thrilling experience from which it will be very difficult for you to tear yourself away.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is the game fans of space "survival horror" have been waiting for years. It´s not a revolution in the genre, but a solid addition, full of scary moments and with a deep (and brutal) combat system.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol gave me nightmares. It's the best horror game of the year, and a bright new contender in the survival horror genre.
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Dec 1, 2022While not perfect, The Callisto Protocol is one of the best in its class, with jaw-dropping jump scares that’ll keep you up well into the night. With satisfying combat, incredible audio design, and jaw-dropping visuals, Striking Distance Studios has made a short but superb horror game that leaves you wanting more.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol embraces fear in a very traditional way; essentially like the saying 'if It ain't broke don't fix it'. The future of space horror games is more than guaranteed within the first step of a video game that is not afraid to look to the past; It is a video game that does not shy away from showing exactly which games inspire it.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a very good horror game with a fast pace and brutal and solid gameplay. Its oppressive atmosphere offers an intense experience, which will put players to the test and give them serious cold sweats, facing abominable creatures. The title from Striking Distance is classic but devilishly effective, it doesn't bother with frills and it works very well like that. A really good "old fashioned" horror game as we like them.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is the real sequel to Dead Space that we never had and it took Glen Schofield to return to the horror game to get it. However, even if the game takes up all the codes of EA's survival horror with its stressful atmosphere, perfectly mastered, and its really enjoyable gore side, The Callisto Protocol also innovates thanks to its melee combat system, which allows interesting combinations and obliges you to plan your battle plan well, otherwise you will be quickly overwhelmed. A great success and we want a sequel with even more new ideas.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol convinced from the beginning with a great atmosphere, an interesting story and beautiful graphics. Also the gameplay is really satisfying throughout the game. Some technical issues impede the high score, but it’s still a contender for Game of the Year.
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Dec 7, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a game that any survival horror fan should try. It is also a sample of what the new consoles can achieve. Both graphically and in a matter of immersion. With an exciting story and beautiful settings.
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Dec 1, 2022Horror fans can't avoid this title: ingenious, extremely atmospheric visuals, an extremely finely woven carpet of sound and a juicy portion of gore make Callisto one of the scariest games of all time.
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Dec 2, 2022The Callisto Protocol is just the new survival horror AAA game that we've been expecting. Despite not being the revolution that Dead Space brought almost 15 years ago, it's new ideas, atmosphere and general concept, are a win.
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Dec 8, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a gripping science fiction horror game and a worthy spiritual successor to the Dead Space franchise. Some of the gameplay and mechanics choices may be off-putting but do not detract enough to ruin the terrifying experience. In the same vein as cult classic horror movies, The Callisto Protocol prioritizes doing things well enough to be fun and approachable.
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Dec 2, 2022The Callisto Protocol continues Dead Space's legacy in a very competent manner. It might very well be the beginning of a new series, because the most important thing - scaring the player - works very well here.
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Dec 2, 2022The Callisto Protocol is an enthralling horror experience when all its best elements combine. Few games have captured the sheer atmospheric dread and terror that The Callisto Protocol communicates just through sound and atmosphere. With an ambiance that seeks to get under the skin, the game constantly shifts gears, never showing its hand to the player. A few technical hiccups and lack of enemy variety will leave the player hungry for those few scares that could have been. But The Callisto Protocol is a must for horror fans yearning for a new IP that may eventually grow into a new, deadly universe.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is violent and brutal, with stunning visuals, but its intimacy causes a few problems that are hard to be overlooked.
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Dec 1, 2022Superb in setting, visuals, sound and other technical parts, The Callisto Protocol is impressive from start to finish and a brutal experience that is lacking these days. Although it is not perfect and some problems can be noticed, as well as the lack of content beyond the main campaign, there is a lot of quality showing that the game delivers what was promised.
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Jan 26, 2023Callisto Protocol makes some mistakes, but in general computing the good wins by far. It is true that it is somewhat angry to see that something with so much potential has not been fully squeezed, but what it offers is already much more than most. We trust that combat system that we have loved and its setting to make the game worthwhile and we would love to see a second installment.
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Dec 2, 2022The Callisto Protocol is the best start for a new survival horror series to date. Schofield, Papoutsis and the other veterans at Striking Distance Studios have managed to create a new nightmare with a very bright future ahead.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is not a groundbreaking experience or the best horror game ever, but it’s a pretty good one. The amazing visuals, great cast, perfect settings and intense combat make it one of the most enjoyable adventures of 2022 - although it’s quite short (and sometimes glitchy).
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Jan 19, 2023A visually beautiful sci-fi experience which, surprisingly, doesn’t resort to simply cloning Dead Space. The difficulty and the fear factor both don’t reach the heights I’d expect, however. A shame! It could have been extraordinary.
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Dec 13, 2022Aside from one or two overly frustrating encounters, we’ve truly enjoyed our time with The Callisto Protocol. And over time, we’re sure it’s going to get better. This is a mighty debut for Striking Distance Studios, and we can’t wait to get our hands on an improved sequel or something entirely new from the studio in the future. We wholeheartedly recommended The Callisto Protocol to horror fans open to brutal close-combat encounters, but some might want to wait until features such as New Game Plus have been added and certain issues have perhaps been ironed out. With a solid update or two, it will be essential.
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Dec 8, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a gorgeous and gory science fiction horror experience that lives up to its big brother Dead Space in many ways, but fails to do so in others. The high production value, stellar cast of characters, top notch audio and visual design, and an excellent mix of adrenaline pumping action and terrifying horror are all overshadowed by a frustratingly designed dodge mechanic.
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Dec 2, 2022While The Callisto Protocol runs somewhere between 12-16 hours, none of that time is wasted in making an intriguing narrative that hopefully acts as a foothold for more new ideas in this world to come. It’s up against some tough competition, particularly with the remake of Dead Space next year, but the new ideas it brings forward make it a game horror fans won’t want to miss.
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Dec 2, 2022The Callisto Project is a game with a well thought out and balanced tempo that in many ways reminds us of the best from the Resident Evil series.
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Dec 2, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a title that will not disorient the connoisseurs of the genre with many features undeniably coming from Dead Space. Nevertheless, it remains in its own right with many innovative features. One thinks in particular of the infiltration phases that are reminiscent of The Last of Us and the combat system that is much more nervous than usual. Striking Distance Studios' latest game has a breathtaking technique that will be remembered, but suffers from a certain lack of creativity for its bestiary and the depth of the characters. Hopefully, the DLC will be able to improve the game's shortcomings. To let off steam and live a somewhat horrific experience, The Callisto Protocol remains a good survival.
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Dec 1, 2022The Creator of Dead Space is back to horror and it hits hard. The Callisto Protocol is an intense, violent and old-school survival-horror. A game with a sense of horrific aesthetics that hits the nail on the head, a delightful atmosphere carried by a devastating sound design and a solid, brutal and gore combat system. Very Good.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a formidable adventure, very linear (in a good way), that knows how to drink from Dead Space but finds its own way. It's a shame that introducing some items to its Season Pass limit its life so much and that its second half isn't quite as inspired. But what a good time I've had.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is not Dead Space and it stumbles over more than one design choice: the close-quarters combat defuse the fear of enemies who have nothing to do with the gruesome Necromorphs, the direction often does not manages to build the fear and tension that one would expect and the story ends up being predictable. However, the game also delivers solid gameplay and stunning graphics.
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Dec 1, 2022Through its rhythm and its brutality, The Callisto Protocol manages to put player in constant tension and discomfort, offering a memorable experience.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a lucid dream of a game. You want to escape the terrors flickering before you but once the game gets hold with both tentacles, you’re trapped in the hostile environment of the best horror game of the year.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a modest starting point for what I hope will flourish into another heavy-hitting horror franchise. It's gory and gratuitous, with an endlessly satisfying combat system. But the lack of enemy variety scares, and surprises, even if engaging, stop it from being the horror game masterpiece it's trying to be. Despite all of its shortcomings, it's an immensely enjoyable romp that's left me desperate for more.
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Dec 7, 2022As a spiritual successor, the game adopts many traits that are similar to Dead Space. The HUD is implemented within the design, the limbs of your opponent can be blown away and the tight camera obscures your view. While comparisons are expected, The Callisto Protocol does differ. The melee-focused combat cranks up the intensity of encounters but ultimately stumbles when facing numerous enemies. Some may not like the linearity but I felt that this helped with the pacing of the game and the effectiveness of scares. Although it never reaches the heights of its predecessor’s first two outings, it still offers a trembling trek through a terrifying detention center.
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Dec 1, 2022On the scenic front, The Callisto Protocol hits the bull's-eye with a first-rate, forward-looking visual presentation, and with a long series of intense encounters with horrific monstrosities, which react credibly to the electric baton blasts that hit them. Alternating body to body shooting or the use of the gravitational glove can give real adrenaline rushes but not the tension that many expected. From the progression at times not very stimulating, up to some playful imbalances, which emerge above all in the course of specific boss fights, this horror-tinged action is certainly a "good first" for Striking Distance Studios but, also thanks to a problematic narrative sector, it failed to express - sadly - its full potential.
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Dec 6, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a solid first entry in what Striking Distance hopes to be the next big horror franchise. Flawed, but unique and engaging melee combat is a fun way to fight against terrifying foes, while Black Iron Prison is an alluring space to investigate. Limited exploration, a cliché story, and forgettable firearms hold it back from being truly great. However, underneath the blemishes, The Callisto Protocol pushes horrifying visual detail to emphasize tense and perilous encounters.
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Dec 5, 2022The Callisto Protocol clearly gets its inspiration from the older Dead Space games, thanks to co-creator Glenn Schofield being the director on the game. The survival-horror action is being presented very convincing here, with nice visuals and thrilling audio design. Sadly the gameplay is more of mixed bag, with a lot of ups and downs. Whilst not being perfect, Callisto Protocol nonetheless is a fun ride that every survival-horror fan should at least put on their radar.
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Dec 2, 2022The Callisto Protocol is brutal, violent and will send chills down your spine. What Striking Distance Studios did is far from perfection, but don't let that discourage you. The Callisto Protocol is a horror experience that is well worth getting to know. Just don't expect it to be a legendary game that changes the industry.
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Dec 1, 2022First out of the gate in what will be a bevy of survival titles in the coming months, The Callisto Protocol is a solid maiden effort from developer Striking Distance Studios and one that has laid the groundwork what is hopefully to come.
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Dec 1, 2022In space, no one will hear you scream... with joy or anger? Building on the rock-solid foundation of the first Dead Space, The Callisto Protocol dodges the photocopy with its intense, difficult, but not as precise melee combat as we would have liked. Despite a certain lack of audacity, Striking Distance managed to steal Saturn's rings in order to slip them on the ring fingers of sci-fi horror lovers. Fasten your asteroid belt, the Space Mountain gore will shake you up, even if the trip turns out to be as imperfect as it is classic.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol reaches for what Dead Space once achieved, and falls dishearteningly short. It re-creates all of the brutality and tension that drained the blood from our faces whilst playing Dead Space, but once you then find yourself actively fighting for your life, leaves you quickly frustrated and let down.
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Dec 1, 2022An intense atmospheric adventure with an intriguing premise, The Callisto Protocol delivers a solid horror game that focuses largely on its satisfying combat. It doesn't have much variety and is lacking a bit of creativity, but it makes up for that with impressive visuals and disgusting, intimidating monsters. It might not meet the expectations of its obvious inspirations, but The Callisto Protocol lays a strong foundation of terrifying atmosphere and crunchy combat that makes it satisfying and spooky nonetheless.
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Dec 1, 2022The Callisto Protocol immerses you in its world full of horror and gore to the bone combined with that wonderful photo-realism of the characters and environment. The gameplay is a pure Dead Space feeling but clunky. It has the features of a survival game but it still has a lot to implement. The game is more like a Josh Duhamel simulator.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Jan 23, 2023Fighting not only against terrifying creatures, but also against modern gaming trends, The Callisto Protocol is committed to doing fewer things, but doing them very well.[Recommended]
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Dec 1, 2022This breakout horror game stumbles occasionally, but it still stands tall as a thrilling survival-horror experience. Buy it.
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Dec 2, 2022Dead Space comparisons are impossible to avoid - but while The Callisto Protocol's missing some of the depth and tension, it makes up for it with production value and bloody-minded fun. [Eurogamer Recommended]
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Dec 5, 2022The Callisto Protocol was touted as the next Dead Space and it unfortunately suffers for that comparison. With frustrating, awkward combat, an uninteresting plot, and jump scares that fall completely flat, The Callisto Protocol struggles in the shadow of its spiritual predecessor, which did all of those things better 14 years ago. (This is all not to mention the full-screen strobing light effects that cannot be turned off; an accessibility failure that one would not expect of a modern AAA game.) It's a pity that Callisto copied the aesthetic of Dead Space while failing to execute the aspects that made it frightening and fun. [Quick Look]
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Dec 2, 2022I consider The Callisto Protocol one of the most ambitious games I played this year, maybe even the most next to Elden Ring (though I think Elden Ring is in a league of its own—I don’t know if anything will be able to approach its depth and sophistication for a long time). Its thoughtful attention to environment, sound, and touch is what, I think, next-gen gaming should be like: an experiment with the senses and with story. The game has its issues, too, which can’t be ignored. But at least it feels human.
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Dec 3, 2022The Callisto Protocol is a sublime horror experience in atmosphere and immersion, offering a worthy challenge when it comes to single-enemy combat or against a mini-boss. The problem appears when the hordes arrive: when fighting many enemies, the rough combat mechanics are very noticeable. And being such a combat-centric survival horror, these shortcomings keep it from being one of the best of the year. [Review in Progress]
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Dec 1, 2022With The Callisto Protocol, Striking Distance proves it can capably create nerve-wracking moments of tension and horror with a well-crafted combination of sights, sounds, and atmosphere. The studio was smart not to create a one-to-one copy of Dead Space — especially with original publisher Electronic Arts now returning to the franchise with a remake due next month. But still: The Callisto Protocol could have borrowed a few more lessons from its spiritual inspiration, and further refined its mechanics to make a game that plays as good as it looks.
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Dec 1, 2022These little irritations are all over the place in The Callisto Protocol, steadily eroding what little fun there is at every turn. There’s the long wait time between checkpoints—because nothing screams “Spooky!” like repeating a five-minute section of gameplay for the fourth or fifth time, teeth grinding as you realize just how boring walking down these endless corridors can be. There’s the awkward weapon-switching mechanics, which make fumbling a different gun out of your inventory an exercise in annoyance. And there’s the endless low-grade frustration of thinking you’re properly dodging a hit, only to have a third of your health sliced off because of unclear signaling. It all adds together to make something that’s less than the sum of its parts—and significantly less than the sum of all the games whose legacy it ill-advisedly invokes. Have no doubt: The Callisto Protocol will get your blood pressure up. Just not in the way that Schofield and his team clearly intended.
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Dec 1, 2022We can confidently say Dead Space fans will delight in its bloody mutant-shredding carnage, Striking Distance Studio using the classic 2008 horror as a template while inventing new and interesting gameplay ideas of its own.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 615 out of 1069
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Mixed: 212 out of 1069
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Negative: 242 out of 1069
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Dec 3, 2022The story, the combat, the visuals, the sound design, everything is peak cinema
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Dec 3, 2022
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Dec 3, 2022Very poor mechanics. Graphics very good but it is not enough. Highly unstable gameplay on ps5.