The horror and gore in Dead Space was imperative to the franchise’s success, and The Callisto Protocol is clearly aware of this. During Gamescom Opening Night Live, it showcased a fascinating new mutation system that is utilized by enemies during combat, something that appears to go above and beyond what fans are used to from Dead Space.
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The Callisto Protocol’s Pedigree
The Callisto Protocol is a third-person, graphic horror game from the mind of Glen Schofield, co-creator of the Dead Space franchise and founder of Sledgehammer Games. With this creative mind at the helm, Callisto is very much embracing its roots. The title is set on the Callisto moon of Jupiter in the year 2320, initially taking place within Black Iron Prison. Players will take control of protagonist Jacob Lee, who is forced to navigate his way through the tumultuous facilities on Callisto due to the growing presence of mutated inmates and staff overrunning the prison.
Like Dead Space, the survival-horror elements of the game mean that players will have to conserve resources and ammo in their fight against the infected. As can be expected, they will face a litany of horrific and gory death animations should they fall victim to the mutated horde.
The Mutation System Within The Callisto Protocol
A core factor of Dead Space was the creative ways in which players could dismember and eliminate the intimidating and horrific enemies that populated each environment. With detailed death cutscenes providing an elevated level of threat and intimidation to the range of enemies in Dead Space, combat was inherently tense.
As showcased in The Callisto Protocol gameplay revealed at Gamescom this year, the upcoming title has a new element that sets it apart from the older combat of the Dead Space series. Enemies can undergo mutations in the middle of engagements, which will see enemies begin to sprout tendrils. If left alone, these tendrils will let the enemy mutate into a larger and more powerful version of their base level, giving a direct impetus for the player prioritize to tendrils. Mutated enemies appear more imposing and dangerous than their non-mutated counterparts, only adding to the horror and chaos of tense encounters in The Callisto Protocol.
While the many enemies of the Dead Space franchise also led to intense gameplay, it is undeniable that the addition of mutations in The Castillo Protocol adds an entirely new foreboding factor to combat. Many fans will be happy with the upcoming game’s overt homages and inspirations from the Dead Space franchise, but it is commendable that The Callisto Protocol is building upon those inspirations to curate a unique experience.
The Callisto Protocol launches December 2 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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