The Callisto Protocol

 PlayStation 5
User Score
6.9

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1069 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 615 out of 1069
  2. Mixed: 212 out of 1069
  3. Negative: 242 out of 1069
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  1. OakToastedNut
    Sep 7, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Callisto Protocol delivers exactly what it was marketed as, which wasn't much but I still had fun. I finished the game at just under 7 hours which is about the usual length other survival horror games take to run through and it delivers on fun combat, great atmosphere, and stunning visuals. The story is safe, but I found myself invested enough to want to see it through and find out what was happening at Black Iron. The characters and performances were great, although I would've liked a bit more of Sam Witwer's character as he feels underutilized here. My biggest "flaw" with the game would be that it is not scary, like at all. I would describe it as more of a thriller where the only attempts at trying to establish that fear factor are through expected jump scares and great sound design/atmosphere that works to build tension, but at a certain point you feel powerful enough with Jacob's arsenal that there's no real threat that you won't be able to overcome. I personally enjoyed that feeling though, being ready to conquer whatever was thrown at me next and survive. Overall, Callisto doesn't push the survival horror genre forward in any impactful way, but it's a good addition and I'm glad that it exists. I had a good time and was thoroughly entertained the whole way through. I hope the game does well despite the mixed reception as I very much enjoyed this game as a survival horror fan. Although a lack of content at launch did hurt its replay value and it was a hard sell given it's a 7 hour game being charged at $70.

    UPDATE: Dropping my score from a 7 to a 6. The story expansion, which I've forgotten the name of, is the biggest slap on the face to fans of Callisto. Going through the main story just to end up a cripple and get blown up is one of the most unsatisfying conclusions to a video game I've ever experienced.    … Expand
  2. Traumvita
    Sep 6, 2023
    7
    Biggest problem with this game is that it tries to make the story and characters important when they’re all pretty lame. Besides that I found the game to be a solid experience. Visuals are one of the best I’ve ever seen in a game. Gameplay is solid yet repetitive at times. I enjoyed several of the segments throughout the game and it has a genuine sense of fear and tension. Game was soBiggest problem with this game is that it tries to make the story and characters important when they’re all pretty lame. Besides that I found the game to be a solid experience. Visuals are one of the best I’ve ever seen in a game. Gameplay is solid yet repetitive at times. I enjoyed several of the segments throughout the game and it has a genuine sense of fear and tension. Game was so close to being above and beyond but just does a few things wrong. Would recommend around max $40.… Expand
  3. Juanbelsan
    Sep 2, 2023
    8
    Correcto funcionamiento con gráficos alucinantes, falta pulir el sistema de combate y mejorar la experiencia del consumidor.
  4. mero210
    Aug 31, 2023
    4
    The character moves and turns too slow and feels clunky. Focussed on Melee, shooting is more for finishig the enemies. No Map, and a very very bad save system. I don't finished this game because the Bossfights aren't fun. But it has nice graphics
  5. AftabH
    Aug 30, 2023
    9
    Genuinely surprised how much i enjoyed it, and even the dlc. as I was expecting a Deadspace lite. Though, made with hurried broad strokes, as is the increasing trend in modern game development due to rising consumer expectations, cost of development, and shortened release windows, however, the expertly crafted cinematic visuals and audio, coupled with a thought provoking story that wasGenuinely surprised how much i enjoyed it, and even the dlc. as I was expecting a Deadspace lite. Though, made with hurried broad strokes, as is the increasing trend in modern game development due to rising consumer expectations, cost of development, and shortened release windows, however, the expertly crafted cinematic visuals and audio, coupled with a thought provoking story that was obviously meta of the past 3 years, particularly captivated me. Sure, the gameplay loop and enemy variety weren't as meticulously designed and innovative as DS's (more like a cross between DS and Slaughterhouse), but I found myself more gripped by the story beats, which i believe was the main focus this time around, and the gameplay, though more basic, was still sufficiently "Visceral" and fun, particularly once you've unlocked key upgrades and combos. Very pleased by this game. Only way I could've imagined possibly being disappointed is if i had paid the $70 at launch (which they could've offsetted by providing a season pass), but I was so pleased with my first playthrough, I purchased the season pass (which was on sale), and I thoroughly enjoyed the dlc, too! And, no, w/o giving away any spoilers, I do not think it undoes the story or the ending of the main story. It only adds to it.… Expand
  6. ThePi3dPiper
    Aug 29, 2023
    7
    Good game ruined by poor mechanics, slow pacing, and frustrating enemies.
    The dark immersive design concept and look and feel of the game really drew me in and I did mostly enjoy the playthrough. However the level layout and repetitiveness left a lot to be desired. One example is the dreaded 'crawl through this vent' and' shimmy through this narrow gap' as a sort of held back level    Good game ruined by poor mechanics, slow pacing, and frustrating enemies.
    The dark immersive design concept and look and feel of the game really drew me in and I did mostly enjoy the playthrough. However the level layout and repetitiveness left a lot to be desired. One example is the dreaded 'crawl through this vent' and' shimmy through this narrow gap' as a sort of held back level loader. This was constant and regularly broke the immersion for me. I did however enjoy the overall story.    … Expand
  7. GGnoR3
    Aug 25, 2023
    4
    Paid homage to so many different games it ran out of cash to buy itself an identity. Very pretty but story and gameplay leave so much to be desired
  8. Gosticouilles
    Aug 18, 2023
    8
    When I first saw the reviews of this game I got really confused because it looked awesome. I decided to wait for a sale and finally picked it up. It was an absolute blast. Some of the best gore I have ever seen in a game, a great and captivating story, fantastic visuals and a really spooky ambiance. I don't get the hate this game have been getting. My only con is its length but it did notWhen I first saw the reviews of this game I got really confused because it looked awesome. I decided to wait for a sale and finally picked it up. It was an absolute blast. Some of the best gore I have ever seen in a game, a great and captivating story, fantastic visuals and a really spooky ambiance. I don't get the hate this game have been getting. My only con is its length but it did not really bugged me since I didn't pay full retail price.
    I personally even thought it was slightly better than Dead Space Remake (since everyone seems to be comparing these two games). Get this game, but on a sale, it is great but short.    … Expand
  9. Aggressor_AGR
    Aug 11, 2023
    10
    Awesome game! With a good story and graphics. I honestly don't understand why people don't like this game.
  10. New__User
    Aug 8, 2023
    10
    It looks really cool. I really liked the melee-range combo combat. Its so good that i couldn't get enough from one playthrough.
  11. Knispeldose
    Aug 8, 2023
    10
    I really enjoyed the game and don't really understand the negative criticism. It has great sound design, a dark and brutal story, some jumpscares and everything I wish for in a horror game. Yes, Dead Space had more variety in it. But still, I had a lot of fun with Callisto Protocol.
  12. masoudi
    Aug 2, 2023
    10
    Great game. It deserves at least 8 out of 10, 6.9 is not fair for such a beautiful game.
  13. BradMorgan
    Jul 31, 2023
    7
    The Callisto Protocol is a wonderfully atmospheric linear rollercoaster that almost feels like an old school game. It is not too much but just enough. Until….you've played 2/3 of the game. It seems as if the developers suddenly thought, let's make impossible fights regardless of the difficulty. It results in exposing all the game's flaws. Save points that are not planned well, alwaysThe Callisto Protocol is a wonderfully atmospheric linear rollercoaster that almost feels like an old school game. It is not too much but just enough. Until….you've played 2/3 of the game. It seems as if the developers suddenly thought, let's make impossible fights regardless of the difficulty. It results in exposing all the game's flaws. Save points that are not planned well, always short of credits, ammo, health, the combat that falls short with more and stronger enemies and so on. The result is mainly irritation and a bitter taste of the game in general. It is a shame since it is mostely an adventure that is fun to go through.

    In conclusion, it is a fun game with major flaws. Yet it is worth your time if you can get it with a discount.

    Pros:
    - Atmosphere - Hack and Slash
    - Graphics Cons:
    - Leveling system with credits
    - Combat is far from perfect - Difficulty end stages of the game are out of proportion - Level design is repetitive    … Expand
  14. zybtex
    Jul 22, 2023
    3
    Ну, и что это за херня!? Я хотел поиграть в хоррор, а не в дарксоулс!! Основной сюжет еще так себе, а вот DLC это полное разочарование! Враги практически не убиваемые первый минибосс тот, что типа робот вообще не обиваемый зато он персонажа убивает с двух ударов. Разве это хоррор от которого игрок должен пугаться, а не что бы его бомбило от неубиваемых врагов!!Ну, и что это за херня!? Я хотел поиграть в хоррор, а не в дарксоулс!! Основной сюжет еще так себе, а вот DLC это полное разочарование! Враги практически не убиваемые первый минибосс тот, что типа робот вообще не обиваемый зато он персонажа убивает с двух ударов. Разве это хоррор от которого игрок должен пугаться, а не что бы его бомбило от неубиваемых врагов!!
  15. Blazedup23
    Jul 21, 2023
    2
    Basically, a low-budget dead space, without the creativity, really difficult to master, the combat is ridiculous, and the amount of ammo, etc is nonexistent.
    Trying to run away without Auto dodging is stupid as hell, and stealth is impossible vs moving zombies.
  16. phoenix_prjct
    Jul 19, 2023
    5
    Final Thoughts:

    The Callisto Protocol is undoubtedly the spiritual successor to the Dead Space series, but it sadly won’t set the genre on fire in the same way. Solid if bland plots and characters are buoyed by an immersive atmosphere, and a brutally unforgiving focus on melee feels tactful and crunchy, making The Callisto Protocol a fresh IP and an incredibly visceral game (sorry).    Final Thoughts:

    The Callisto Protocol is undoubtedly the spiritual successor to the Dead Space series, but it sadly won’t set the genre on fire in the same way. Solid if bland plots and characters are buoyed by an immersive atmosphere, and a brutally unforgiving focus on melee feels tactful and crunchy, making The Callisto Protocol a fresh IP and an incredibly visceral game (sorry).

    Review Update:

    So, after multiple replays, several increasing difficulties, and various DLC (one of which kills any potential future for the property), I felt compelled to do something I’ve never done before: change my rating and update a review…
    The Callisto Protocol has its potential, but, the more I play, the more frustrated I get. There are moments where just as I feel like I’m enjoying myself, the game reminds me that it doesn’t actually want me to play it. In fact, its biggest issue is just that, so much control is taken from the player. If you’re not shimmying through a tight space, you’re crawling through yet another vent; if the combat isn’t glitching, you’re forced into a ‘cinematic’ grab; and, until recently, if you weren’t doing any of the above, you were in an unskippable cutscene. Too much playtime consists of, well, very little actual playtime.
    In my original review, I focused on how from the atmosphere, setting, and aesthetics The Callisto Protocol is undoubtedly the spiritual successor to Dead Space, but it’s almost as if the game realises this and tries to pivot violently the other way, leaving a confused and messy horror that tries too hard to force an experience only to, sadly, avoid one entirely.

    For an in-depth look and more reviews, visit my site: https://thephoenixprjct.com    … Expand
  17. Usefulidiot
    Jul 9, 2023
    10
    The hate for this game is completely unwarranted. It’s a very fun and exciting game.
  18. Fetish
    Jul 7, 2023
    8
    I did not have any expectations after all the hate that this game received, but hear me out I Loved It! I enjoyed every single minute of the game!

    Graphic: Top notch! Beautiful! Sound: Masterpiece! Kudos to the sound team. Story: Solid and pretty straightforward story for a horror action game. Nothing outstanding but also nothing to hate here. Combat: It took me some time to figure    I did not have any expectations after all the hate that this game received, but hear me out I Loved It! I enjoyed every single minute of the game!

    Graphic: Top notch! Beautiful!
    Sound: Masterpiece! Kudos to the sound team.
    Story: Solid and pretty straightforward story for a horror action game. Nothing outstanding but also nothing to hate here.
    Combat: It took me some time to figure it out, but in the end it played out pretty well for me. I kinda enjoyed that I was forced to use melee attacks.
    Atmosphere: Loved it! Very tense and immersive. I had old good Dead Space vibes.

    To summarize: Solid 8/10. It is a good game and definitely does not deserve the hate and low scores! I hope the devs will not be discouraged from doing similar projects!

    We are so tired of empty open worlds with 100+ hours of repetitive gameplay. I'd rather have solid 10-15 hours of intense experience like in The Callisto Protocol.    … Expand
  19. Kayhan1126
    Jul 6, 2023
    10
    Game was great amazing. I loved it. I don't know about the replayability tho. Couple months I'll pay again.
  20. Hast4656
    Jul 4, 2023
    9
    Не давайте негативним рев'ю пропустити для себе цю гру. В час коли медіа-простір переповнений 100-годинними юбістофт-лайк опен ворлдами, TCP - це ковток свіжого повітря. Неймовірно чудова графіка (навіть на PS4), атмосфера та анімація, цікава бойовка та дуже класно поставлені кат-сцени. Це все, що треба для якісного сай-фай сурвайвола. Для мене це однозначно улюблена гра 2023.Не давайте негативним рев'ю пропустити для себе цю гру. В час коли медіа-простір переповнений 100-годинними юбістофт-лайк опен ворлдами, TCP - це ковток свіжого повітря. Неймовірно чудова графіка (навіть на PS4), атмосфера та анімація, цікава бойовка та дуже класно поставлені кат-сцени. Це все, що треба для якісного сай-фай сурвайвола. Для мене це однозначно улюблена гра 2023.
  21. andnotmetoo
    Dec 8, 2022
    5
    changed my mind, and after couple days, after releasing some normal games on ps5 - this one looks like demo project, I am not hater, just clarifying gameplay is poor.
  22. NightLord-_
    Jul 1, 2023
    9
    sci fi survival horror game with good atmosphere and mechanics similar to dead space franchise, even the story is prety damn similar, aliens in space and some virus taking over the dead moon callisto, in a prison where previously some evil corporation made experiments with those aliens resulting a deadly virus outbreak. Alright campaign and extra modes and dlc. 9/10
  23. Flashyboy89
    Jun 28, 2023
    9
    The Callisto Protocol is a bloody spectacle! I finished it on the hardest difficulty, Maximum Security. Great challenge at times. A nice combination of most of my favourite survival horror games such as The Last of Us, Resi 4, The Evil Within. My only nit-pick is that I would have liked it to be a few hours longer. 9/10
  24. Jonlander
    Jun 28, 2023
    9
    Un juego que recibió críticas negativas en su lanzamiento por tener problemas de rendimiento óptimo tanto en consolas como en PC, a día de hoy el juego corre perfectamente y todo funciona correcto, es un muy buen juego con unos excelentes gráficos, una buena historia de escape y supervivencia, una jugabilidad buena aunque hay momentos puntuales que el personaje pierde fluidez es uno de losUn juego que recibió críticas negativas en su lanzamiento por tener problemas de rendimiento óptimo tanto en consolas como en PC, a día de hoy el juego corre perfectamente y todo funciona correcto, es un muy buen juego con unos excelentes gráficos, una buena historia de escape y supervivencia, una jugabilidad buena aunque hay momentos puntuales que el personaje pierde fluidez es uno de los aspectos que podían haber mejorado, además de una de las partes que se hace algo repetitiva, me refiero a cuando salen unos infectados que son ciegos y solo "oyen" abusan del número y son muy fáciles de matar yendo todo el rato agachado, otra de las partes a mejorar hubiera sido ofrecer otros jefes, ya que repiten hasta 4 veces el mismo, quitando estos aspectos el juego tiene muchísimo potencial, está bien hecho, se nota esmero y dedicación en los escenarios, el juego se esfuerza en sorprenderte con más de un susto, te metes muy fácilmente en la piel del personaje y se disfruta progresando, te dan diferentes opciones para matar a los infectados, desde la porra, utilizando las armas de fuego y/o utilizando el entorno con el GAR (un dispositivo de agarre y lanzamiento muy chulo) en definitiva este juego ha sido para mí injustamente maltratado, lo he podido terminar además con su dlc de historia y no puedo decir más que merece y mucho la pena, mi plataforma de juego ha sido en PS5 y he decir que las funciones del dualsense están perfectamente implementadas, se siente genial además lo jugué también con los cascos 3D y el sonido ambiente del juego la verdad que es una pasada, le doy un 9 sin lugar a dudas y recomiendo a quien le guste este tipo de juegos a lo Dead Space que lo juegue porque se va a dar cuenta a lo poco que está ante un auténtico juegazo de survival/horror… Expand
  25. dune10
    Jun 25, 2023
    8
    bon jeu, un peu resident evil, un peu last of us. Jeu couloir mais avec une bonne ambiance
  26. FeoGamer
    Jun 24, 2023
    5
    Juego corto con final abierto para luego terminar de venderte la historia en un DLC
    Jugabilidad tosca que cuando hay más de un enemigo se siente injusta
    Doblaje al español dessincronizado
    Sólo destaca en la ambientación
  27. Attano30
    Jun 21, 2023
    10
    Bought it on release and didnt had any time playing it but right now i just started NG+ really love this game. Nice graphics, nice gameplay and really love the fight mechanics and the way Jacob interacts with his surroundings to finish enemys off. Great story. 10/10
  28. Florirakete
    Jun 21, 2023
    1
    Pure garbage, save your money. One point for the graphics, the only good thing about this game
  29. Dreamcast2040
    Jun 12, 2023
    8
    Overall a good game, with really good graphics.
    The horror part could have been better.
  30. Monstert_t
    Jun 4, 2023
    9
    The callisto protocol is truly an underrated gem! It brought back the slow paces survival horror with an engaging mysterious story, well designed combat and to notch graphics and audio design. I can't wait for the DLC, I really hope there will be a sequel it deserves it.
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Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2022

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
69

Mixed or average reviews - based on 85 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 43 out of 85
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 85
  3. Negative: 7 out of 85
  1. PLAY
    Feb 11, 2023
    40
    Repetitive survival horror that feels like a life sentence, The Callisto Protocol is as bereft of life as the harsh conditions of the moon on which it’s set. [Issue#23, p.70]
  2. MGG Spain
    Jan 26, 2023
    83
    Callisto 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.
    Read full review
  3. Games.cz
    Jan 19, 2023
    80
    A 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.
    Read full review
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