The Callisto Protocol has a classic survival horror feel in that sense. No one's trying to be a hero, just survive. The alien issue is very much on a list of things to deal with along the way, giving everything a pleasingly grounded feel. go! Like Dead Space, which was co-created by Striking Distance Studios founder Glen Schofield, The Callisto Protocol is focused on survival and problem solving over anything more noble, like saving the galaxy – get out of prison, find a ship to escape in, reach it, and so on.

It's nothing groundbreaking, but good enough for a solid sci-fi adventure – you're a cargo pilot who crash lands on Callisto, one of Jupiter's moons, along with the terrorist that sabotaged your ship. It's a weirdly cool little detail, as well as a useful one. When monsters are moving through air vents you can actually follow their position from the audio, and know where they're going to pop out. Sound design overall is excellent, with the station clanging, creaking, and groaning like it's alive. There are some great tonal shifts in terms of lighting, space, and atmosphere as well that add some really nice vibes – areas awash in blood red light (because of all the blood on the lights) a section in an oxygen processing forest that's tense as all hell, while the trees around you rustle and chitter. It's full of levels and environments that I actively enjoyed exploring and finding things to look at – the level of detail, texture, and ambience to everything is incredibly well done, from grimy metal to haze in the air, and it's never less than a beautiful thing to see. Developer Striking Distance Studios has done an amazing job at creating something this polished and visually strong. For starters, The Callisto Protocol is a fantastic looking game.

Platform(s): PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox One

(Image credit: Striking Distance Studios)

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