What a waste...
The Callisto Protocol is an interesting beast of a game, in which its entire existence confuses the hell of me. It's a game that is probably in the top 10 best-looking games graphically of the 2020s, has fantastic environmental designs, and a killer setting for a horror action game. However, it's also a game that plays itself, with mechanical choices that seem to scream "Oh, this is just a tech demo of what we want to do with Callisto Protocol". The combat is the most barebones melee system I have ever played. I don't understand the point of providing the player a literal zero-timing dodge window for evasion and basing the entire combat around holding left and right to dodge 99% of the attacks. There are no threats in Callisto Protocol. There are no unique enemy designs. There are no combat choices. There is no progression. There is no game. Why? Because, how you take down the first enemy of the game is the exact same method for EVERYTHING in the game. Nothing will ever challenge you, beacuase nothing will ever hit you. Weapons serve the same purpose, because the combat loop is melee, melee, melee, shoot (or shoot weak point). Item management doesn't matter. The grip mechanic is overturned. Weapon balance is terrible. Nothing matters.... So, on paper you may have varied combat encounters, letting players take on each encounter with a mix of melee combos, stealth, and a variety of weapons, while different enemy types synergize to take you down. But, in execution, you have a very basic demonstration of these mechanics in an almost Alpha state of development. Not even the story can save this game either, although it can be quite engaging at times.
Why spend all this time on this game? Why make it so gosh darn beautiful, and pour in all this time and effort with not a single creative vision behind it all to truly evolve what Dead Space started? Maybe to cash in on the Dead Space's creator's name. Maybe the game had a rocky development and transformed into the product we see today. Whatever the cause, we are left with one of the most disappointing horror titles in a while. However, the game can be occasionally fun once you fully accept what the game is.
5/10 :(
The Callisto Protocol is an interesting beast of a game, in which its entire existence confuses the hell of me. It's a game that is probably in the top 10 best-looking games graphically of the 2020s, has fantastic environmental designs, and a killer setting for a horror action game. However, it's also a game that plays itself, with mechanical choices that seem to scream "Oh, this is just a tech demo of what we want to do with Callisto Protocol". The combat is the most barebones melee system I have ever played. I don't understand the point of providing the player a literal zero-timing dodge window for evasion and basing the entire combat around holding left and right to dodge 99% of the attacks. There are no threats in Callisto Protocol. There are no unique enemy designs. There are no combat choices. There is no progression. There is no game. Why? Because, how you take down the first enemy of the game is the exact same method for EVERYTHING in the game. Nothing will ever challenge you, beacuase nothing will ever hit you. Weapons serve the same purpose, because the combat loop is melee, melee, melee, shoot (or shoot weak point). Item management doesn't matter. The grip mechanic is overturned. Weapon balance is terrible. Nothing matters.... So, on paper you may have varied combat encounters, letting players take on each encounter with a mix of melee combos, stealth, and a variety of weapons, while different enemy types synergize to take you down. But, in execution, you have a very basic demonstration of these mechanics in an almost Alpha state of development. Not even the story can save this game either, although it can be quite engaging at times.
Why spend all this time on this game? Why make it so gosh darn beautiful, and pour in all this time and effort with not a single creative vision behind it all to truly evolve what Dead Space started? Maybe to cash in on the Dead Space's creator's name. Maybe the game had a rocky development and transformed into the product we see today. Whatever the cause, we are left with one of the most disappointing horror titles in a while. However, the game can be occasionally fun once you fully accept what the game is.
5/10 :(