PlayStation’s State of Play on June 2 was a great appetizer for Summer Game Fest next week. Horror fans were treated to an official announcement teaser for the long-rumoredResident Evil 4remake, and an in-engine trailer revealed gameplay and a release date forThe Callisto Protocol, which had only received a cinematic, pre-rendered teaser beforehand.
Set in Black Iron Prison on the moon Callisto, players follow an inmate’s gruesome attempt to survive mutated creatures called biophages. The gameplay that was shown is heavily reminiscent ofDead Space, with an intimate third-person perspective and an eerie, science-fiction atmosphere. Biophages are unapologetically reminiscent ofDead Space’s necromorphs, and its lone protagonist is similarly reminiscent of Isaac Clarke. But these similarities are not unfounded, and it may serveThe Callisto Protocolwell to follow itsDead Spaceroots.
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If anyone is going to make a good third-person action-shooter that is heavily reminiscent ofDead Space, it would beDead Spaceco-creator Glen Schofield. If anyone other than Schofield and Striking Distance Studios was behindThe Callisto Protocol, its similarities withDead Spacemight be considered a blatant rip-off without its own identity. However, because Schofield is at the helm, fans may consider this to be a spiritual successor to theDead Spacefranchise as its own IP with the same dread-filled survival-horror gameplay that madeDead Spacea seminal experience.
Several things inThe Callisto Protocol’s in-engine trailer harken back to disturbing imagery and iconic scares fromDead Space, such as protagonist Jacob Lee’s ammunition count being illustrated holographically on his firearm, the shadow of a mutated corpse that stretches along a poorly lit corridor, or its brutal execution animations. In many ways,The Callisto Protocolis both a love letter toDead Spaceand a new iteration of that series' gameplay with a fresh coat of paint and a new narrative.
Some features are sure to be different, such as the fact that Lee is able to wield melee weapons like batons, whereas melee confrontations inDead Spacewere a death sentence. Likewise, Isaac Clarke did not speak untilDead Space 2, andThe Callisto Protocolhas an opportunity to depict Lee as a more strong character in his first outing. IfThe Callisto Protocolcan provide players with enough mechanics to give it its own identity apart fromDead Space, while reminding players that it is capable of the same blueprint for horror, it should garner a fair amount of respect.
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Because the highly anticipatedDead Spaceremake arrives in January,only one month afterThe Callisto Protocol, it will be exciting to see fans’ reactions to both in such a short period.The Callisto Protocolwill hopefully create a mold that feels fresh enough to warrant its own franchise as popular asDead Space, meanwhileDead Space’s remake reminds fans of what made the original so special in the first place.
The best-case scenario would be that both titles are hugely successful, meaning thatThe Callisto Protocolcan pave its own pathwhileDead Spacecontinues to receive new installments in the future.The Callisto Protocolmay be evidence that a survival-horror science-fiction title does not need theDead Spacelabel to make itself popular, but Schofield’s influence may be what helps the game maintain elements that fans adore aboutDead Space.
The horrors of mutilated corpses overwhelming players who have only a few makeshift armaments is long overdue in games. The resurgence in this “genre” later this year and early next year may see a renewal forDead Space, and if successful,The Callisto Protocolcan further expand uponDead Spacein a meaningful and unique way.
The Callisto Protocolreleases on December 2 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
