What began as an endeavour to expand the world of PUBG: Battlegrounds has instead morphed into an original narrative-driven horror experience known as The Callisto Protocol. Crafted by Striking Distance Studios, home to veteran Dead Space developers, the game leads the charge back into the depths of sci-fi horror. With promises of intricately detailed visuals and authentic character rendering, The Callisto Protocol stands to deliver one of the most visually striking Unreal Engine games to date.
Skin, hair and eye rendering are hauntingly lifelike, while clothing material perfectly suits each character. Sub-surface scattering is used to more accurately simulate the penetration of light across the skin, while beads of sweat help convey the tension of each moment. The characters all manage to feel grounded within the world too, a testament to the lighting team, with minimal specular glow as is common in many Unreal Engine titles today.
The animation is another area worthy of praise, with main character Jacob having a real sense of heft while moving through the world, something that extends to the meaty and satisfying melee combat. Jacob bobs and weaves like a hungry boxer dodging enemy attacks before winding up for a deadly strike to the torso. Firearms aren't forgotten either, with enemies exhibiting per limb animation as well reacting to each hit with the expected stumble.
Console games featuring multiple RT features are few and far between, so delivering reflections, shadows and transmission while maintaining a relatively high resolution is impressive. The question is - are these features visually impressive enough to warrant playing at 30fps? In performance mode, PS5 and Series X exhibit minor inconsistencies in frame delivery that are well-handled by VRR displays but can detract from the fluidity the game is aiming for. Performance drops below 60fps are also possible, but tend to be restricted to specific areas. Given how demanding the game seems to be, I'm not surprised by these hiccups in performance, and the game still feels smooth overall, making the performance mode a good way to enjoy Callisto.
Beyond the technical side of things, the game design here is also fascinating. The Dead Space comparisons are inevitable but in actuality, this is a very different game. Callisto is built primarily around its melee combat, with firearms becoming increasingly valuable and critical as the game progresses. In addition, you have the option to stealth kill enemies, not unlike The Last of Us, and use an anti-gravity glove to snatch foes and fling them into moving objects.
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