The first gameplay demo for The Callisto Protocol was shown off at the Summer Game Fest, where the intense sci-fi horror game showed off its brutality and Dead Space influences. A game that was once supposed to take place in the now free-to-play PUBG universe is now on a path to establish its own terrifying universe.
The Callisto Protocol is being directed by Glen Schofield, who has worked on many popular games over the years. Well-known series like Legacy of Kain, Call of Duty, and Gex owe a lot to the creator's directing talents. However, his 2008 project Dead Space is perhaps what he's best known for, combining both the sci-fi and horror genres in a way that only movies like Event Horizon and Sunshine had accomplished so effectively before. The title and sequels cemented themselves in the minds of so many players that Dead Space is getting a remake in 2023. Schofield and his development team at Striking Distance Studios are not developing that remake, however. Instead, they are evolving that game's intense gameplay and breath-taking storytelling to create The Callisto Protocol.
Director Glen Schofield joined Geoff Keighley on the Summer Game Fest stage and showcased the new gameplay demo for The Callisto Protocol, later shared to YouTube by Striking Distance Studios. The gameplay serves as fans' first look at the game in action, and showcased much of what made Dead Space so popular - though the upcoming game looks more brutal. Set in the confines of a spaceship, the video shows off some of the terror that awaits fans when the game releases this December.
News had been relatively scarce on the sci-fi horror game since it was first announced at The Game Awards in 2020. The cinematic Callisto Protocol trailer shown at last week's State of Play event gave fans their first significant preview of the game and its twisted single-player campaign. Luckily the new gameplay demo shown during Summer Game Fest further demonstrated how the gameplay will strive to immerse its players. The lack of a HUD and player's health and ammo displayed on Jacob is incredibly reminiscent of how those same decisions helped Dead Space become as creepy and immersive as it was. The new demo highlight's the developer's ability to make the player feel powerless against overwhelming odds as they struggle to survive in a new game that looks to move the genre forward.
The game is currently on track to release on both current and last-gen consoles and PC on December 2nd, 2022. However, The Callisto Protocol will look better on newer systems, with special lighting techniques and other new-gen features. The controller's haptic feedback on PS5 will likely be used for at least a few scares throughout the game's campaign. The Summer Game Fest gameplay demo seems to prove that The Callisto Protocol has learned well from the success of Dead Space.