The Callisto Protocol has released, and while the critical reception has been decent, it has not been the hugely successful title many were hoping for. Numerous technical issues, a short runtime, and an average story have all been areas fans and critics have pointed out as weak points. However, The Callisto Protocol’s by-the-books story is lifted up slightly by some strong lore - and Helix Station is a big part of it.
The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station is not getting nearly as much praise as it should. Coming in at roughly two and a half hours, the podcast can be found on YouTube in its entirety, and it tells a story set before the events of the video game. Great performances from Gwendoline Christie and Michael Ironside can be heard within, and their characters are even more interesting than Jacob and Dani. Hopefully, other games take inspiration from The Callisto Protocol’s lore podcast, and PlayStation Studios titles seem like the perfect fit.
PlayStation Studios Titles That Would Fit The Helix Station Mold
While Helix Station features a fun nod to Dead Space’s Plasma Cutter as well as some stellar sound design and horrifying moments, it is the characters, acting, and narrative that make the podcast such a joy to listen to. Fortunately, these are important traits for almost every PlayStation exclusive, from Santa Monica’s God of War to Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. Fittingly, both franchises would suit the lore podcast style.
For a God of War Ragnarok lore podcast that doubles as an entertaining piece of marketing to capitalize on holiday sales, a yule log focused on Mimir could be delivered. Not only could Mimir be seen around a fire, with other characters like Angrboda or Atreus occasionally stopping by, but he could tell some of his many endearing stories. He could even retell the events of Kratos’ Greek life, shaking things up and keeping potential viewers interested in what the talking head has to say about what his "brother" did when he was younger.
For The Last of Us’ upcoming multiplayer game, Naughty Dog could do a bit of worldbuilding, focusing on a random group of survivors and telling their stories through radio calls and conversations. Firefly broadcasts would also suit this style, as listeners could learn what made the group so appealing to other survivors. The WLF and Seraphites could be fleshed out through this storytelling format, too, getting fans invested in the post-apocalyptic world again before the new release.
If Naughty Dog were to revive a dormant franchise like Killzone or Resistance, these podcasts would be a great way to build hype. For Killzone, listeners could get insight into the culture of the Helghast, a group that already seemed sympathetic in the older titles. With Resistance, radio broadcasts from around the world could be heard, with each documenting a survivor group or squad of solders being overwhelmed by the Chimera. Though it seems unlikely that either of these dormant franchises will make a return,
Uncharted’s Nathan Drake can recount one of his adventures when sitting with his daughter Cassie, Horizon’s tribes can tell tales of their most important members, and gamers could hear more of Selene’s alternate lives from Returnal play out. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart’s Lorbs are another option, as are some heists with Sly Cooper and adventures with Jak and Daxter, showing just how much Sony could do with this kind of project. With PlayStation Studios games having such rich narratives that have attracted loyal fan bases, many would likely be interested in listening to content like The Callisto Protocol: Helix Station.
The Callisto Protocol is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
