The Callisto Protocol Review Roundup

Out of all the different game genres, survival horror games aim to provide us with more than just hours of amusement. This Friday, The Callisto Protocol is the latest game to thrill and scare us despite releasing at a time normally associated with whimsey and cheer.  So did it succeed? Or did its attempt died a horrible death? Here's the review roundup: 

SCREEN RANT (SCORE 2.5/5)
' For what may be one of the most highly detailed sci-fi horror environments ever seen in a game, its rooms and hallways remain an empty - though grisly - backdrop, rarely presenting environmental narrative, anything to interact with, or a compelling pathway through. Killing mutants in the first hour feels identical to killing them in the last, and three difficulty levels only seem to affect mutant health pools. Maybe The Callisto Protocol's upcoming DLC will breathe new life and wonder into its world, but Black Iron Prison remains a far cry from the dynamic decks of the USG Ishimura.'

For the full review please visit here.

GOD IS GEEK (SCORE 8.5/10)
'The Callisto Protocol drip-feeds you with story until some big reveals in the final third, and while I wasn’t particularly playing it for its plot, there’re some interesting reveals. The acting is great, with a special nod to Karen Fukuhara from The Boys who gives a great performance. It’s a stunning game in both the animations and how it creates a tense and scary atmosphere, and the sound design is excellent. While it can be more difficult than it needs to be due to zoomed in camera angles, I won’t be forgetting it in a hurry. It’s disturbing, savage, and forces you to survive in the worst possible conditions.'

For the full review please visit here.

GAME INFORMER (SCORE 6/10)
'The Callisto Protocol is still doing a lot of what Dead Space did, for better and worse. And to that end, there are moments of fun, even if, in contrast, they’re light on genuine terror. I’m okay with The Callisto Protocol being another version of its spiritual predecessor, but it struggles to nail even the basics. As a result, I’m underwhelmed, annoyed, and disappointed. If you wanted anything more out of this second crack at making a new sci-fi IP in survival horror, or something markedly different that acknowledges just how far gaming has come since 2008, The Callisto Protocol is not your answer.'

For the full review please visit here.

GAMESRADAR + (SCORE 3/5)
'I'd honestly recommend playing The Callisto Protocol on 'easy'. Once I'd finished the game on default difficulty I restarted it on the lower setting and it's so much more enjoyable. There's still some challenge, but it's a much more manageable, and far less crushing journey. There's obviously a whole discourse here to be had on difficulty but I've reviewed the game as presented by the developers, aware that many will resist changing the challenge for one reason or another. There's a great sci-fi game here but one marred by its combat system. Which seems such a shame given the world Striking Distance has built, and the quality of The Callisto Protocol overall. It's a hard thing to love as a result, but even after all the frustration I'd still like to see a sequel in the future.'

​For the full review please visit here.

IGN (SCORE 7/10)
'The Callisto Protocol is a supremely atmospheric and action-heavy tour through a spectacular slaughterhouse set in distant space. Its largely linear design makes for minimal backtracking, meaning it trims the fat while leaving no shortage of bone and gristle to rip and tear. However, it also betrays its survival horror roots by regularly tipping the balance of power too far in favour of the player, and while there’s plenty of murderous fun to be had using giant grinding mechanisms to make mulch out of mutants, such cheap thrills come at the high cost of puncturing any tension and dread that the tremendous art and audio design work so hard to invoke. Aside from the meaty melee combat, there’s also the overriding sense that there’s not a lot here that hasn’t been done before – and there’s disappointingly little to do once you’ve beaten the campaign. Thus The Callisto Protocol is a satisfyingly gory spiritual successor to the Dead Space series, but it’s ultimately more of a striking modern mimic than a scary new mutation.'

​For the full review please visit here.

GAMESPOT (VIDEO REVIEW)

​Overall, The Callisto Protocol currently sits at a Metascore of 76 from 44 reviews. Not a bad score, but with the massive potential that each trailer secrets leading up to launch, this score is a little bit of a letdown. However, it does seem it will scratch that Dead Space itch, at least until the release of the Dead Space Remake next year. 

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