The Callisto Protocol's connection with Dead Space brought up an important question: Will The Callisto Protocol include a co-op mode? Set on Jupiter's moon of Callisto, The Callisto Protocol sees players attempting to escape from the claustrophobic Black Iron Prison. Though there's only a tiny cinematic trailer and a brief mention of The Callisto Protocol's connection to PUBG for fans to work with, The Callisto Protocol's reveal spurred speculation about how Striking Distance Studio would handle development in this difficult genre.
The key to the speculation comes from the fact that The Callisto Protocol's development team contains a number of industry veterans who worked on Dead Space and its sequels. The Dead Space series has had a mixed reaction from fans given the dramatic shift in gameplay between entries. Though the amount of easter eggs relating to Dead Space scattered throughout The Callisto Protocol's trailer cemented the connection between the two games, players were left wondering how exactly the game would emulate the series and which entry would be the focus.
The Callisto Protocol's relationship with Dead Space was a major topic of the brief Q&A hosted by Striking Distance Studio on their Discord channel on December 17th. While answering a question about the potential for a cooperative experience, developer Glen Schofield was firm in his assertion that there would be no Co-op mode in The Callisto Protocol. Striking Distance Studio's main aim will remain a single player experience, a decision that will either delight or dismay fans of the Dead Space series, which included entries that focused on single-player, like the original, and entries that focused on cooperative gameplay, like Dead Space 3.
Single-Player Is Better For The Callisto Protocol's Horror
The reasoning behind The Callisto Protocol's focus on creating a single-player experience makes a lot of sense. As Glen Schofield himself put it during the Q&A, fear is about isolation, atmosphere, and mood. Cooperative experiences tend to lessen the tension in each of these key aspects of survival horror. Most survival horror games that are universally respected for their scares, like the classic Silent Hill and games like it, focus on isolating players from potential help and forcing them to deal with the fear themselves.
Cooperative horror games can be a lot of fun, and the success of horror multiplayer games like Dead by Daylight and the award-winning Phasmophobia prove it. Yet when it comes to embracing the true nature of survival horror, focusing on a single-player experience highlights the dread that can only come from being totally alone against a hostile force. The initial success of Dead Space came in part because it so excellently captured the fear of isolation. Yes, the Nercomorph enemies were scary, but the true fear came in the player's need to navigate a world where the only hope for survival was their own personal tenacity.
While some may be disappointed to find The Callisto Protocol won't offer a cooperative gameplay mode, the majority of survival horror fans should be pleased to know the veterans behind the original Dead Space have made it clear they want to provide a similarly terrifying experience. The only thing left to do is wait, and perhaps replay Dead Space in anticipation.
Source: The Callisto Protocol/Discord