There was much media hype surrounding the development and subsequent launch of The Callisto Project, not least because the Striking Distance studio comprises several members from Visceral Games and Sledgehammer Games, the geniuses behind the Dead Space series. The game launched in December 2022 to much fanfare after a costly marketing campaign. Although the Callisto Project reviews were quite average, the game has already gained a cult following, in part, for its high difficulty and unforgiving combat.
You will not find The Callisto Project in the latest Game of the Year awards betting odds at mytopsportsbooks.com, but it is a PlayStation, Xbox, or PC title that you should have in your game library if you are a fan of hardcore survival horror. It is impossible not to see the similarities between The Callisto Project and Dead Space. One could even claim some of the visuals and enemies are lifted straight out of its rival. Play The Callisto Project on a high-end gaming PC or one of the latest generation consoles to get the best out of the atmospheric sounds and visuals. Use the following tips to keep Jacob Lee, the game’s protagonist, alive slightly longer.
1. Consider Initially Lowering the Difficulty
Saying that The Callisto Project is a challenging game is an understatement. As someone that has played through all of the Souls games, The Callisto Project is right up there in terms of difficulty. You do not have much of a health bar, even after upgrading it, and enemies deal immense damage, with some able to one-shot you even in the earliest stages of your adventure. The damage you deal on the highest difficulty setting is reduced, essentially turning the game into a death simulator, especially until you get to grips with the dodge mechanic that is central to your survival.
There is no shame in lowering the difficulty because The Callisto Project still provides a severe challenge when played on what it perceives as easy or low security. By all means, ramp up the difficulty once you have completed your first playthrough, but be warned that some sections become massively frustrating due to the combination of your slow movement speed and the enemies’ brutal attacks.
2. Master the Dodge Mechanic
You will find yourself under almost constant attack throughout The Callisto Project, and while you can block attacks, blocking still results in taking damage, something you can ill afford at any stage of the game. Of course, block as a last resort because it’s better than having your life bar decimated. Still, you will need to master the much-maligned dodge mechanic to stand even half a chance of not continually finding yourself dying and reloading a checkpoint.
Holding left or right triggers the dodge when an attack comes your way. Enemies often unleash a barrage of attacks, and you must alternate your dodges, or they do not work. For example, if you initially dodge to the left, you must dodge right during the same attack sequence; otherwise, you’ll find yourself at the end of a devastating blow.
It is possible to perform a perfect dodge by getting the timing perfect. A perfect dodge briefly slows down time, allowing you to reposition or deal some damage with your melee weapons or guns. Although perfect dodges come in handy in some situations, getting them wrong leaves you vulnerable to attack, so stick to the traditional dodge unless you can execute a perfect one every time.
3. Focus On Upgrading Only One or Two Weapons
You find various weapons while navigating through the various locations, and it is possible to upgrade those weapons once you gain access to the reforge machine early into the game. Upgrades cost Callisto Credits, which are relatively rare in their own right, but some upgrades are expensive. Having one or two highly upgraded weapons is better than having three or four at the first improvement stage.
Your baton, once fully upgraded, is more than enough to see off the basic mobs and even some of the stronger enemies. The GRP is an excellent weapon once you figure out how to work to its strengths; you will find the GRP becoming the default weapon in your arsenal. The GRP is a gravity gun that will get you out of many tight spots as you formulate a plan to escape. Look for anything you can launch enemies into because many environmental hazards result in one-hit kills or, at the very least, severely damage enemies.
4. Slow Mobs Down By Taking Their Legs
Anyone that has played Dead Space knows the importance of dismembering enemies by shooting off their limbs. Similar mechanics exist in The Callisto Protocol, so use them to your advantage. Although enemies tend to attack as individuals early into proceedings, numbers increase as the story progresses, and being swamped is a one-way ticket to a checkpoint restart.
Although many mobs have long-range attacks, keeping enemies at a distance is one of the best ways to increase your survival chances. Use whatever ammunition you have for your guns to blast the legs of foes. It can result in the damaged enemy being unable to walk, reducing them to a scary-looking but much slower and less dangerous crawl. Once enemies are on the floor, most can be dispatched with a single melee attack.
5. Don’t Forget to Stomp and Explore
From the start, the Callisto Project informs you that you should stomp on dead enemies, as doing so drops loot, which is scarce on the planet. It is easy to forget to stamp on dead mobs after a particularly challenging battle, so get into the habit of doing so once the area is clear, otherwise, you may miss out on some much-welcomed health packs or Callisto Credits.
The game is packed with secret areas and hidden loot and weapons. Explore and investigate anything that seems untoward, such as light shining from under a door. However, only begin your exploration once you are sure no more enemies are waiting in the wings. Be aware that some locations you head to can have enemies waiting in the ceiling or under the floor panels lying in wait to spring into attack mode!
Good luck!