Striking Distance Studios shared the game's first gameplay trailer and explained how the studio creates a horror atmosphere.
Striking Distance Studios revealed The Callisto Protocol's first gameplay trailer along with the game's release date – December 2.
"Set on Jupiter’s “dead moon” Callisto in 2320, The Callisto Protocol is the story of Jacob Lee, an inmate at Black Iron Prison who must fight for his life when a mysterious outbreak throws the moon into chaos. Prison guards and inmates are mutating into monstrous creatures called Biophage, and Jacob must battle to survive the horrors of Black Iron and uncover the dark secrets of the United Jupiter Company."
Striking Distance Studios, led by its CEO and Dead Space's executive producer Glen Schofield, shared that to bring the world of The Callisto Protocol to life, the team uses "Horror Engineering" to create unforgettable scares.
"It’s about blending atmosphere, tension, brutality, helplessness, and humanity to thrill players … and hopefully scare the crap out of them."
Callisto is an oppressive world that feels desolate and isolated and puts players on edge. The studio spends a lot of time designing the lighting to create a sense of dread and keep players guessing about what’s in the shadows.
It also uses PS5’s 3D Audio and acoustic ray tracing, diffraction, and portaling to fully immerse players in the world. According to the company, audio is a huge feature in making players feel trapped, isolated, and alone.
Striking Distance also cares about building and releasing tension.
"Sometimes we space scares out to give players 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 tick of the PS5’s awesome haptics."
Another tactic is the strategic combat system designed by Striking Distance Studios that forces players to get up close and personal with the horrifying creatures. Expect to experience a blend of melee combat and gunplay with a unique gravity weapon called the GRP. Players can freeze a rushing enemy in their tracks or throw Biophage into a nearby turbine fan or environmental hazard to escape a seemingly dire situation.
The studio tried to create a feeling of helplessness as The Callisto Protocol is a survival horror game. Jacob, who's played by Josh Duhamel, isn’t a soldier, and every encounter is a life-and-death struggle. Ammo, health, and weapons are precious, and players will need to scour Black Iron for any advantage they can find.
Finally, the game needs to have an element of humanity.
"We want to give players characters that they care about, and a deep, immersive story that’s going to keep them guessing until the end."
Striking Distance Studios promised to share more in the coming weeks and months. The Callisto Protocol will be available on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and PC.
For now, check out the company's post here and don't forget to join our new Reddit page, our new Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are sharing breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.