The Dead Space-inspired survival horror game The Callisto Protocol is receiving a new mode for gore-loving players to experience as part of the game's newest 5.01 update. The Callisto Protocol is the first game from Striking Distance Studios, headed up by former Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield who also directed the title.The Callisto Protocol launched in December 2022 to mediocre reception just over a month before EA's highly-regarded Dead Space remake released to stellar acclaim and stole the survival horror conversation. Since the original Dead Space served as a major inspiration for The Callisto Protocol, players were pleased to see gameplay features like the diegetic UI, GRP and Jacob Lee's stomp among others harken back to Isaac Clarke's time on the USG Ishimura back in 2008. Despite the less-than favorable reception, Striking Distance is continuing to provide post-launch support to its Dead Space spiritual successor, having recently added the Contagion Mode DLC with plans for story DLC for The Callisto Protocol in the future.With a short trailer on Twitter The Callisto Protocol revealed Dismemberment Mode, a new mode being added to the game as part of Update 5.01. Dynamic dismemberment was a major part of what made Dead Space special and iconic, so it's not surprising to see The CallistoProtocol double down on it with this new mode. It seems like Dismemberment Mode will let players instantly dismember the limbs of Biophages via melee or ranged weapons. While the base game features dismemberment, players needed to hack or shoot an enemy multiple times to get limbs to pop off. It looks like this fun new mode is party-like in nature, letting players dismember Biophage limbs in just a single swipe or shot.
It's currently unclear whether Dismemberment Mode is accessed separately from the base game in the main menu or something that can be toggled in the settings. Whatever the case, players will not be able to unlock Achievements or Trophies while playing the mode, likely because instant dismemberment will make enemies much easier and quicker to deal with. Additionally, Update 5.01 adds the ability for players to skip cutscenes, a feature some players have been calling for since launch. Since cinematic story cutscenes are such a big part of The Callisto Protocol, being able to skip them will be a major boon to speedrunners.
It's good to see Striking Distance Studios continuing to support The Callisto Protocol despite the game's lukewarm launch and the high praise the Dead Space remake has received instead. With these new modes and story DLC on the way, perhaps The Callisto Protocol could redeem itself in the eyes of survival horror fans.
The Callisto Protocol is out now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.
