[REDACTED]was announced out of left field and, being part ofThe Callisto Protocol’s universe as a disarmingly dissimilar spin-off, is releasing soon in a little under two months. Players race to a lone escape pod over and over, even after subsequent deaths where they then contend with their corpse, and it’s unlikely that[REDACTED]will have much in the way of world-building or lore besides introducing colorful, zany rival characters who attempt to thwart players. That said, how[REDACTED]is iterating on gameplay that Striking Distance itself designed forThe Callisto Protocolseems courageously and excitingly wholesale in its approach.
As a roguelike, it’s obvious that Striking Distance wouldn’t be able to simply adapt the same Rock ’Em Sock ’Em melee mechanicsThe Callisto Protocolfostered, for instance. Gameplay in [REDACTED]was given a brief overview and showcases a big pot of diversity in combat features thatThe Callisto Protocolnever had, and even if the IP now becomes more comparable toHadesorDead CellsthanThe Callisto Protocolit may be a beneficial recourse altogether. Comprehending the variety of melee weapons[REDACTED]offers alone, it would be perplexing to see Striking Distance ever go back toThe Callisto Protocol’s divisive melee combat.
The Callisto Protocol’s Dysfunctional Melee Combat Falls Flat
The Callisto Protocol’s close-quarters stun baton combattakes big swings and was unique if nothing else, leashing players into tight camera angles with Jacob Lee and a biophage monstrosity locked into a toe-to-toe engagement. Here, players duck and weave between smacks with the baton. It’s a serviceable approach to combat when players only need to contend with one enemy at a time and swings land with weighted impact, but buckles and collapses when there is more than one enemy or an enemy at a distance that can lob projectiles.
It’s a cinematic presentation for combat that does little more than amount to grandiose QTE sequences with a series of patternable dodges and a lack of satisfying rhythm or fluidity.Combat involving firearms and the GRP mechanicis a bit better and necessary for crowd control adaptations, though combat always regresses to melee eventually as its core tenant.
[REDACTED]’s Emphasis on Melee Variety Could Be Its Saving Grace
[REDACTED]is not making the same mistake. Instead, an infographic has revealed the comparative stats and advantages of several melee weapons players will have access to, rather than the lone baton from the base game orKinetic HammerThe Callisto Protocol’s Final Transmission DLC debuted.
[REDACTED]’s stun baton now dishes out sweeping blows in an arcing cone. It’s not as effective in crowd control as the Kinetic Hammer or Electric Whip as the infographic—stylized like an instructional manual—reveals, but it seems like a wonderfully robust instrument all the same as it “allows correctional officers to keep their distance and handle multiple threats with each swing,” which is a frank answer toThe Callisto Protocol’s stun baton by absolving it of all its gripes in one fell swoop.
Having multiple other melee weapons is a treat, too, since it adds an amount of variety thatThe Callisto Protocolnever had and sorely needed. By making such fundamental changes and transitioning to an isometric roguelike genre, Striking Distance has ensured that[REDACTED]isn’t going to play anything likeThe Callisto Protocoland that’s for the best.
The Callisto Protocol
WHERE TO PLAY
In this narrative-driven, third-person survival horror game set 300 years in the future, the player will take on the role of Jacob Lee – a victim of fate thrown into Black Iron Prison, a maximum-security penitentiary located on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto. When inmates begin to transform into monstrous creatures, the prison is thrown into chaos. To survive, Jacob must battle his way to safety to escape Black Iron Prison, while uncovering the dark and disturbing secrets buried beneath the surface of Callisto. Using a unique blend of shooting and close-quarters combat, Jacob will need to adapt his tactics to combat the rapidly evolving creatures while scavenging to unlock new weapons, gear, and abilities to outrun the growing threat and escape the horrors of Jupiter’s Dead Moon.
