The Callisto Protocol recently received its launch trailer, giving us a deeper look at what we can expect in terms of both narrative and gameplay; and we could not be more excited. Developer Striking Distance Studios have definitely shaped something that many would liken to developer Visceral Games’ Dead Space, but with a deeper dive into the game’s story, a broader sense of context is giving us some lofty expectations of a new survival horror experience that seems to be setting itself apart in all the right ways.
Set on Jupiter’s dead moon Callisto in the year 2320, the trailer opens with our main protagonist Jacob Lee (voiced by actor Josh Duhamel) crash landing on Callisto and immediately being taken prisoner. As he awakens behind bars, we soon learn that a viral outbreak has wiped out the majority of the moon’s population, leaving Jacob and a few remaining survivors fighting to escape the dreaded Black Iron Prison, and the infected enemies that remain trapped inside. As far as we can see, this feels like an incredibly original direction in terms of story, highlighting the humanity behind the horror, rather than the atmospheric tension and isolation that had driven Dead Space’s narrative. It’s also underlined by a rousing new track from Kings Elliot, which we’re also totally loving.
While we had already seen portions of gameplay via previous trailers, gameplay here feels incredibly cinematic, yet explosive and fast-paced. We’re sure to experience some sense of survival horror through navigating dark hallways and braving the occasional jump scare, but at least we now know we’ll be able to wield various ranged and melee weapons and special abilities while doing it. Check it out for yourself in the trailer below:
We’ve admittedly been looking forward to this since its reveal, but with the best look at The Callisto Protocol yet, it can’t come soon enough. The Callisto Protocol will launch on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC on the 2nd of December, 2022.
