Ever since its recent announcement at the 2020 Game Awards, The Callisto Protocol has attracted fans of horror games with its mysterious atmosphere, as well as the involvement of Dead Space producer Glen Schofield. Very little is known about the project, but it is in development for next-gen consoles. In regards to the PS5, this means a variety of features that can really take the scares up a notch.
Sony’s latest next generation console is capable of impressive graphics, but more importantly, it boasts a multitude of new built in-features and hardware improvements that can prove to be crucial in immersing the player within a horror experience. The PlayStation 5’s new advancements show an opportunity for The Callisto Protocol to break new ground for horror-themed video games and possibly set new standards for the genre.
One of the key selling points that Sony is pushing for the PS5 is its innovative new controller, the DualSense. It excels at “game feel,” a term that is tossed around in the industry a lot as a means to describe the tactile sensation and satisfaction caused by player inputs and the in-game events. Never before has this terminology had more weight behind it than with the PS5’s DualSense, a controller specifically designed with haptic feedback rumble and adaptive triggers that change tension according to in-game interactions.
If The Callisto Protocol were to feature gunplay to fend off possible threats, for example, the adaptive triggers can create the sensation of a weapon locking up and unable to fire its bullets, adding to the level of panic the player would feel during a tense encounter. Furthermore, the controller does not simply shake as it would normally do, but change its frequency and level of force depending on a variety of factors, such as simulating the wildly different feeling of pushing arms through water to swim or gusts of air hitting the player. These changes to how a player can interact and control the actions of The Callisto Protocol, or any game for that matter.
For horror games, having excellent audio design is just as crucial in building atmosphere as it is featuring terrifying visuals. The PlayStation 5 contains proprietary 3D audio techniques which allows for crystal clear, striking sound effects that are object specific to assets in the game world itself. This means that the technology is so advanced that players can hear individual raindrops hitting surfaces, with the sound changing to be louder or quieter depending on the proximity to the source of the sound.
The implications this has for horror games, a genre so dependent on effective sound design to scare players, is rife with potential. If the player is crawling through a series of ventilation ducts, while a creature is in hot pursuit, the developer will be able to have the footsteps of the enemy be so clear that the player will be able to pinpoint exactly whether they are stalking from behind or above (and have a potential heart attack from fright in the process). It goes a long way for a genre that is so intent on making gamers feel uncomfortable to not simply have the audio coming out at them but rather all around them to create a sense of true 3D space.
While blazing fast load times have shown to be an appreciated addition to all next gen games, its place in the horror genre would be especially important due to the game never having to break its tension and keep the player fully immersed in its world. Gone are the days of a player needing to stand idly inside an elevator or in front of a large door, serving as illusions between sections to load new assets into the game and take up precious minutes of the player’s time.
Resident Evil Village claims to take advantage of this, with a considerable improvement to load times with doors that simply open to the next room and not a loading screen, literally carrying over any suspense built from one area to another, not allowing the player to breathe. If The Callisto Protocol is similar in design to Dead Space, it would be fascinating for players to fully explore a sprawling, densely interconnected space station seamlessly and without any pauses in the pulse pounding action.
The Callisto Protocol is slated for release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X in 2022.
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