Horror games have a unique following and fans can be quite particular about their preferences. Some horror games imitate well-established titles, while others attempt to bring something new to the genre. The Callisto Protocol faced significant criticism upon its release as it fell into the former category. Its failure to differentiate itself from its inspiration, Dead Space, resulted in clunky gameplay mechanics.
Unfortunately, The Callisto Protocol received a generally negative reception, making any discussion about it somewhat irrelevant. However, it is worth noting that the game has received updates and additional content since its launch. A new story DLC called "Final Transmission" is set to be released next week, marking the end of The Callisto Protocol's Season Pass content. This should entice Season Pass owners to revisit the game, but those who didn't purchase the pass may be hesitant to pay for the DLC now.
The Callisto Protocol’s Story DLC Not Being Free Might Turn Players Away
Unfortunately, due to the negative reception of The Callisto Protocol, it is unlikely that the same players will be enthusiastic about purchasing story DLC for the game, especially if it requires additional payment. The DLC can also be purchased individually, but the cost has not yet been determined.
Players who already bought The Callisto Protocol's Season Pass content when the base game was launched will have access to the DLC and may choose to play it based on that alone. However, it may be difficult for players who were disappointed by the base game to justify purchasing the DLC separately now. The Final Transmission DLC does introduce a Kinetic Hammer weapon and a new enemy type called the Biophage Robot, along with other interesting additions. However, these may not be enough to erase the negative experiences some players have expressed.
Purchasing the story DLC now might be worthwhile for fans who are interested in observing potential gameplay improvements since the release of the base game. If the story DLC receives positive feedback, it could generate further interest in future content for the IP. The combat system in The Callisto Protocol was somewhat polarizing, especially with its confined melee encounters that were often frustrating to escape from.
It is difficult to determine if the gameplay changes will effectively address the concerns players had at the game's launch. However, the fact that the Final Transmission DLC requires payment may discourage players from experiencing the changes firsthand. It would have been unreasonable for Striking Distance Studios to eliminate the Season Pass, considering the number of individuals who had initially purchased it, thus retaining it as paid content is a logical decision.
However, the number of people who would be excited to play The Callisto Protocol's Final Transmission DLC is likely to increase if they already own the base game and don't have to pay for additional story content. While there are no plans to continue the IP after the release of this story DLC, the appropriately titled Final Transmission will hopefully serve as a captivating and thrilling conclusion. The Callisto Protocol can be played on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.