The Callisto Protocol being such a short game always meant that there would be some loose ends left with its narrative. Fortunately, the game is confirmed to be getting some story DLC next year that could touch on some of the plot threads that have been dangling. Striking Distance has plenty of plot lines to choose from, too, as there are at least three directions that the developer could take with The Callisto Protocol’s additional story content.
Outside of turning the excellent Helix Station Podcast into a proper, playable experience in The Callisto Protocol, Striking Distance can focus on either Dani or Jacob with its new DLC. Though one option seems far more likely than the other, both present viable scenarios for new content. In the case of Dani, there are two different options available, and both could result in stellar DLC.
The Jacob Route - Escaping Callisto With Doctor Mahler's Help
Doctor Mahler’s role in The Callisto Protocol is minor but significant, and it seems likely that she will have a much bigger part to play in the next piece of Jacob’s story. This is because, after Jacob earns his redemption by saving Dani and letting her take the escape pod, he is contacted by Doctor Mahler about a potential way that he can escape, too. Mahler still needs to earn her own redemption for the part she played in the biophage experiments, and helping Jacob throughout the DLC could be a way for her to achieve this.
Finishing up Jacob’s story with The Callisto Protocol’s DLC makes sense for multiple reasons, one of which being that Striking Distance can reuse some existing mechanics, locations, and enemy types. By keeping players confined to the planet of Callisto in the DLC, the expansion would likely require less development time and resources than content that took players to an entirely new area. Answers on how Captain Ferris returned as well as another run-in with Duncan Cole could be delivered.
The Dani Route - A Europa Prequel or a Conflict with Kallipolis
Dani makes it out of The Callisto Protocol alive, and based on her final words, it can be assumed that she will be taking the fight to Kallipolis as soon as her escape pod lands. Players learn very little about Kallipolis during The Callisto Protocol, other than it being a mysterious illuminati-like group that was behind the biophage experiments. Though Duncan Cole was part of the organization, its roots trace back far further than him, and it likely has many members. A battle against Kallipolis could introduce new enemy types to fight against as well as fresh locations and interesting lore.
However, a prequel DLC is also an option. Much of The Callisto Protocol’s story revolves around what happened on Europa, with players only learning the truth toward the end of the game. Not only did Dani lose someone close to her, but the neon-filled city where the initial biophage outbreak happened was hugely different visually from the locations players fought through on Callisto. As such, a prequel DLC on Europa where players control Dani would guarantee some unique environments.
Ultimately, though, Dani battling Kallipolis feels like more of a sequel hook than DLC setup. Likewise, though Europa looked like an interesting setting, retelling a story players already know as opposed to something fresh could lead to a less appealing expansion. Overall, a continuation of Jacob’s arc where players explore even more parts of Callisto seems to be the most likely scenario for the extra story content. Hopefully, gamers will not have to wait long to learn what is next for Striking Distance and The Callisto Protocol.
The Callisto Protocol is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
