The Callisto Protocol Reviews
The Callisto Protocol offers some meaty melee combat and is one of the best looking games around but its poor story, lack of scares, and other issues will leave fans wanting.
The Callisto Protocol is simply another brilliant project. A thrilling and cohesive story that will have you constantly wondering what happens next. Additionally, the variation of unique and original mechanics and many heart-attacking moments resulted in an enjoyable, yet spine-chilling experience, and would have no problem replaying this.
The 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.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The Callisto Protocol is a prime love letter which I know is cliché, but it will have Dead Space fans satisfied but leaving with more questions than gratification. A great example of a video game that layers itself with a defining cinematic experience but leaves more to be desired in its interactivity.
In the end, The Callisto Protocol ramps up the atmospheric horror with plenty of visceral action, with the linear design helping to keep the focus on the main objective from start to finish. Although it can have trouble when it comes to empowering the player and losing its horror edge, the main issue remains the fact that we have all seen and done this before. Depending on your preference, that might just be exactly what you want, but the nightmare fades a little, especially with the Dead Space remake on the horizon.
It's a fun experience that manages to stay interesting from start to finish, even if at one point its jumpscares are telegraphed.
Review in Greek | Read full review
The Callisto Protocol has potential, but its strange melee combat, average story, and average gunplay keep it from standing out in any way. It looks great and has fun moments, but the majority of my time with The Callisto Protocol wasn’t especially memorable.
The Callisto Protocol simply isn't scary, doesn't play well and has nothing to hook you into its world. It's a poor excuse for a horror game and you're better off waiting for Dead Space Remake than spending $70 on this one.
With such a rushed story and sloppy mechanics, The Callisto Protocol betrays the legacy it was built upon.
The Callisto Protocol is a game that can be divisive. I think that fans of the genre, like myself, will accept and enjoy it, since overall it gives an decent sci-fi survival horror adventure, which does not reinvent the wheel, but knows how to win over space horror fans. The rest of you who aren't crazy about the theme and setting would do well to stay away as there are better games out there to invest your time and money into.
Review in Greek | Read full review
The Callisto Protocol, provided a survival experience worth waiting for and a good horror experience with a beautiful world, sounds and designs,marred by a few disadvantages such as the camera and some negatives in animation. If you are a fan of these types of games, the game will not disappoint you.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
The Callisto Protocol is a nice surprise that certainly honors the series it was inspired from. Close quarter combat adds a unique gameplay element that really nurtures the horror and survival side. Striking Distance Studios offers us a balanced experience with the right level of action and horror that replicates the 2nd Dead Space perfectly. At last, the game is wrapped in a visual presentation that can't shy away from any AAA games. Apart from small problems with a few misplace saves, the experience is excellent. I'm already looking forward to the sequel.
Review in French | Read full review
The Callisto Protocol had some performance issues, but at its core just wasn’t a great game lacking exciting moments or well anything even remotely scary. I was never entertained while playing this game; finding it boring, cumbersome and honestly rather traumatic but not in a terrified sense which is a shame.
The Callisto Protocol is a perfect example of a game that is well-polished yet suffers from several design faults that highlight its weaknesses. In this case, the melee and dodge system can be a thorn in the game's side, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this otherwise fantastic experience.
The Callisto Protocol has failed to live up to all the promises made during its development and those expecting survival horror will be disappointed. However, despite its limitations and numerous implementation problems, it manages to be quite fun thanks to an interesting combat system and excellent art design.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Callisto Protocol is a ride worth taking, but I’m flummoxed at some of the decisions made here. The melee combat is on autopilot, the weapon selection is limited, and there’s no New Game+ to return for another orbit. The brutal, gory, visceral kills that you perform on monsters is returned in equal measure to you, always bringing a smile and recoil to my face. Compromises had to be made to enjoy parts of this game, but when you can turn your brain off, it’s good fun. The Callisto Protocol doesn’t quite live up to expectations of its spiritual predecessor, but I can’t say I didn’t find it to be mostly satisfying, pustules and all.
The Callisto Protocol is an impressive first release from Striking Distance Studios with sublime visuals and immersive 3D audio, all set in a captivating new game world I just have to see more of. The performance on PS5 is exceptional: buttery-smooth frame rates, crisp 4K resolution and one of best implementations of ray tracing and DualSense features I've seen yet. If only the combat was better this would be a near-perfect outing, but alas that aspect needs some major reworking.
I wanted so much to bask in the intended horror that The Calisto Protocol promised in the months leading up to release, but that wasn’t the case when the time came to play it. While it’s surely not an awful game by any means, with flawed but in the end very crunchy feeling combat, it’s simply not in the same league as its inspiration when it comes to providing a scary or even tense experience. It’s still a very graphically impressive and positively disgusting game for sure, and for some that might be enough as it is.
I can't recommend it, and despite some good times, these are not enough to make you forget your obvious shortcomings. Linear by the negative, without extra challenges (puzzles), is to go get a certain thing to open something else with some monsters along the way. There is a lack of exciting content and moments of apotheosis. Because of the lack of time or because there was no more budget, I know that The Callisto Protocol is a job with a huge burden on its back, Dead Space. Sometimes it feels like a finished job in a hurry to get into the upcoming Christmas-season sales window. I'm really sorry.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Callisto Protocol ingredients could have made a delicious recipe we'd enjoy for years to come, but the chef who made the dish forgot to include some essential spices, which resulted in a disappointing final product.
Review in Arabic | Read full review