Sci-fi horror The Callisto Protocol got a new trailer during State of Play, along with a deep dive into what makes it so terrifying.(*3*)
Dead Space creator Glen Schofield is "going back to his roots" with his "self-proclaimed new take on the sci-fi survival horror genre." And he's not kidding. The trailer is a mix of cutscenes, gameplay, and added pizzazz to the show, and it looks great. Dead Space fans will not be disappointed. (*3*)
Schofield also shared more details about the game in a PlayStation Blog post (Opens in a new tab).(*3*)
Project Callisto is set against the eerie backdrop of Callisto, Jupiter's "dead moon" in the year 2320. The plot has Alien 3 vibes with inmates at Black Iron Prison having to fight for their lives. with a "mystery epidemic." (*3*)
The guards and inmates are transformed into Cronenberg monsters called Biophage which, let's face it, are probably the result of the shady activities of the United Jupiter Company. We will put ourselves in the shoes of Jacob Lee, we will fight to survive and we will discover the secrets of society. (*3*)
In the blog post, Schofield explains that the development team used something called Horror Engineering to "create unforgettable scares by hand." He explains, “It's all about mixing atmosphere, tension, brutality, helplessness, and humanity to excite players… and hopefully scare them.(*3*)
Atmosphere plays a big part here, with lighting making the dark, creepy corners even creepier. Of course, there's the PS3's 5D audio that takes advantage of "acoustic ray tracing, diffraction, and portaling to fully immerse players in the world."(*3*)
Fortunately, Callisto Protocol won't rely on jump alerts to do all the heavy lifting of the horror. It still looks like a wild ride though. "Sometimes we space out the scares so players have time to catch their breath, and sometimes we hit them with two or three scares in a row. We want your heart to race with every press of the game's incredible haptics. PS5," he reveals. schofield. .(*3*)
And of course there is the mix of melee combat and third-person shooter games for total carnage. Equipped with a gravity weapon called a GRP, a guard weapon used to subdue inmates, Jacob can freeze and throw enemies at will.(*3*)
But as Schofield points out, he's not a soldier. Players "should feel powerless" as each encounter is a life and death struggle. You will also be looking for resources, so wait for it.(*3*)
Project Callisto launches on December 2, 2022. PlayStation Store pre-orders include a special smuggler's pack that appears to include resources and possibly weapons, to make the fight a bit more bearable. (*3*)