The Ultimate Weapons Guide: Mastering The Callisto Protocol's Arsenal

Highlights

Jacob can use a variety of weapons, including melee and sidearms, to survive in The Callisto Protocol and take down enemies.

Not all weapons in the game possess the same level of strength and reliability; certain ones boast superior upgrades that demand Callisto Credits. Enhancing weapons such as the Stun Baton, UJC Special Ops Tactical Pistol, and Hand Cannon can heighten their effectiveness and potency during combat.

Jacob must utilize every available weapon in order to survive the nightmarish hell of Black Iron Prison in The Callisto Protocol. To increase his chances of escaping in one piece, he is fortunate to have a wide array of options at his disposal. Although the combat in the game mainly focuses on melee combat, Jacob can also utilize his sidearms to eliminate enemies from a distance or deliver a swift shot when prompted after each swing.

However, not all weapons in The Callisto Protocol are equal in terms of strength and reliability. Throughout Jacob's journey, he will come across numerous guns and melee weapons. It is important to note that some of these weapons have superior upgrades that can be obtained by spending Callisto Credits. The question remains, which weapons are worth prioritizing?

8 Shiv

How to unlock:

Given to Jacob by Elias at the start of the game.

Jacob receives the shiv at the beginning of the game from a prisoner who promises assistance in exchange for help escaping. This versatile tool can unlock chests and doors, but its main purpose is to silently eliminate unsuspecting enemies. This prevents potentially dangerous encounters from occurring.

However, as the game progresses, opportunities for stealth become scarce. Consequently, the shiv primarily becomes valuable for accessing hidden areas and obtaining loot from chests. Unlike other weapons, it cannot be upgraded, which diminishes its effectiveness and makes it easily overlooked.

7 Stun Baton

How to unlock:

Picked up from a corpse after escaping the Med Ward.

Due to the satisfying and impactful nature of melee combat in The Callisto Protocol, the initial impression is that the Stun Baton is a strong weapon. However, its effectiveness diminishes and becomes quite risky to use after the first chapter. To ensure successful encounters without taking damage, significant upgrades are required to increase its speed in taking down enemies. Fortunately, there are numerous enjoyable attacks that can be acquired through this upgrading process. One such attack is the Riot Control Swing, which provides Jacob with a powerful alternate swing, thereby enhancing the weapon's overall usefulness. Nevertheless, players who neglect to prioritize upgrades for the Stun Baton will find that melee combat is limited to stunning enemies, while relying on firearms for heavy damage.

6 UJC Special Ops Tactical Pistol

How to unlock:

Found in a locker room to the left of the first Field Log.

The Tactical Pistol, an optional weapon, can be found in Chapter Six. It is highly recommended for players seeking a fast and powerful firearm that can shoot multiple rounds at once. Although the weapon's base damage is initially low, it compensates with a 5-round burst alternate fire mode after upgrading.

Despite having only a few upgrades available, the Tactical Pistol can quickly become very powerful. However, the upgrades are costly, requiring significant investment to maximize its effectiveness. Nevertheless, its speed and minimal recoil make it suitable for most encounters in the game.

5 GRP

How to unlock:

picked up from a corpse in Ward 03

The GRP (Gravity Restraint Projector) in Dead Space functions similarly to the Kinesis Module, allowing players to manipulate objects to stun or eliminate enemies. It offers several advantages as a weapon, including its rechargeable nature and unlimited ammo, making it a valuable asset in certain situations.

Furthermore, the GRP can be upgraded to enhance its speed and power. However, its effectiveness relies heavily on the surrounding environment, limiting its reliability. While it can instantly dispatch enemies with the presence of sharp objects, sometimes only small items like chairs or boxes are available to use. As a result, while the GRP is useful to have, it may not justify significant investment.

4 BI-55 Pistol Hand Cannon

How to unlock:

Found after regrouping with Elias at the beginning of the game.

The initial firearm Jacob obtains is more than capable of dispatching the menacing creatures in Black Iron Prison, particularly when aiming for the head. It remains quite formidable in the initial chapters. However, when more resilient enemies and tougher bosses emerge, upgrading the Hand Cannon becomes necessary to stay competitive. Fortunately, the Hand Cannon boasts some of the game's best upgrades, especially the impressive Boom Bullets.

Boom Bullets are explosive rounds that yield a small explosion upon impact, making them perfect for eliminating small groups of enemies while conserving ammunition. The gun's sluggish speed may be a drawback, but players who can overlook this and accrue enough credits should strongly consider upgrading the Hand Cannon multiple times.

3 UJC Special Ops Assault Rifle

How to unlock:

Found in a bathroom on the second level of the Colony.

Despite being the final weapon schematic in the game, the Spec Ops Assault Rifle remains a reliable choice for players. With a few Callisto Credits, this weapon can become incredibly powerful. It differs from typical automatic rifles as it is a 3-round burst weapon. While this may slightly reduce damage, it greatly improves accuracy.

The initial upgrade allows for the use of high-capacity magazines, which greatly aids in clearing out rooms of enemies and keeping dangerous foes like the exploding Combustors at a safe distance. It is unfortunate that this weapon becomes available so late in the game, leaving little time for upgrades. However, even in its base form, it remains a formidable weapon.

2 Skunkworks Shotgun "Skunk Gun"

How to unlock:

Found in Basement D3 by using a Gate Fuse found in Basement D4.

The Skunk Gun may resemble a pistol, but it is actually a compact sawed-off shotgun that possesses exceptional stopping power, capable of quickly eliminating numerous regular enemies. When equipped with a high-capacity magazine and foregrip, it becomes even more effective, making the initial chapters of the game effortless.

However, it does have one drawback, particularly when facing multiple enemies simultaneously. Initially, it only holds 2 shots, which can make it slightly unreliable. Nevertheless, in skilled hands, it can be incredibly devastating. Rather than using it for long-range attacks, it is best utilized for delivering swift shots following a successful melee attack. Unlike the Hand Cannon, which often requires multiple shots, the Skunk Gun usually only needs one shot to take down enemies. With the final upgrade, Swarming Rounds, bullets can even home in on enemies, reducing the spread of the shots and maximizing the inflicted damage.

1 TK4 Riot Shotgun "Riot Gun"

How to unlock:

Given to Jacob by Dani after meeting her in the garage.

The Riot Gun is an essential weapon in survival horror games, providing a sense of security unlike any other. Its exceptional power makes it the ultimate choice for battling bosses, and unlike most shotguns, it boasts a decent amount of ammunition, minimizing the inconvenience of a slow reload speed.

Interestingly, the Riot Gun also offers remarkably affordable upgrades that not only enhance its magazine capacity and accuracy, but also enable it to shoot explosive projectiles. This additional feature significantly enhances its crowd-control capabilities. With its affordability and user-friendly design, the Riot Gun is an excellent choice for players, though it's important to keep an eye on the magazine to avoid any reloading inconvenience.

The Callisto Protocol

Platform(s) PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XReleased December 2, 2022Developer(s) Striking Distance StudiosGenre(s) Survival Horror