ThoughThe Callisto Protocolreviewed decently well and had some solid sales for a new studio’s first game, most have viewed the title as a disappointment. On the flip side, EA Motive’sDead SpaceRemakehas been celebrated by the industry and fans alike, receiving praise for its level design, audio, and story improvements like Isaac being able to speak. Given the similarities between these games, withGlen Schofieldclearly aiming to deliver a successor to his 2008 classic viaCallisto, it is worth looking at why one has thrived as the other has struggled.
There are a few obvious things to point to, as thoughThe Callisto Protocolhas stellar visuals and solid melee combat, it feels like a step back in other key areas. The best storytelling happens in The Helix Station podcast, with the narrative and world building within the game being lacking. Considering how strongDead Space’s lore is, this is problematic, as is the feeling that Black Iron Prison is just a collection of video game areas instead of something that feels like it was once a living, breathing area like the USG Ishimura. However, the biggest problem withThe Callisto Protocolmight have been its lack of quality-of-life features.
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Withthe USG Ishimuradesigned so thatDead Spacefans can return to parts of the ship that they previously visited, it makes sense that a tracker would be necessary. Fortunately, this feature is present, with players able to press in their right stick to go wherever they want. This makes completingDead Space’s side missions or opening high clearance level containers to get more loot a breeze. Unfortunately,The Callisto Protocolhas no such system.
Not being able to keep track of what is optional and what is themain story path withinThe Callisto Protocolis frustrating, as it requires players to guess whether they are going the right way - something that can wreak havoc on the game’s pacing. If a non-intrusive tracking system was present that did not get in the way of the game’s HUD-free nature, much likeDead Space’s digital paths, players would not be at risk of missing some side paths since they went too far forward in the main story.
Dead Space’s New Game Plusbeing present on day one, and coming with an actual reward in the form of its secret ending, was a welcome launch feature. Unfortunately, this was something thatThe Callisto Protocolwas also missing, as New Game Plus was only brought to the game recently. Considering how shortThe Callisto Protocolis, being able to go back through the game and test maxed-out weaponry - or upgrade different guns - would have been very nice to have when interest in the game was higher.
When players find audio logs inDead Space, they are able to keep exploring the room and fighting anyNecromorphsthat come their way, taking in lore without stopping in their tracks.In The Callisto Protocol,though, Jacob has to stand still while listening to recordings. Another issue is GRP packs, as unlike Stasis modules which players can instantly use with a button press, gamers have to go in their inventories to use the GRP pack. Though it is automatically triggered when players run out of charge, players trying to quickly free up inventory space or charge up before a big fight are out of luck.
Evenupgrading gear inDead Spaceis less tedious. There are more benches and stores spread throughout the game, increasing the feeling of progression, and players can quickly stock up on ammo if need be by purchasing multiple stacks in seconds. WithThe Callisto Protocol, players are stuck printing out ever batch of ammo one by one, watching the same five-second animation on repeat. Both games are proof that the little things add up, with one providing a smooth experience and the other feeling consistently clunky.
Dead Spaceis available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
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