The Callisto Protocol: the Return of Mr. Dead Space
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special features THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL n space no one can hear you and passion. Dead Space has been scream”, this is the tagline of this, a pure example of a game made the greatest and perhaps the following only and exclusively one “Ifirst true sci-fi horror of all time. From goal (repeatedly praised by Schofield 1979 onwards, we can say that the himself), and that was to create the genre has been redefined not only most terrifying videogame experien- in quality terms, but also thinking ce ever designed. From a narrative about language. Alien clearly marked and visual point of view, Dead Space a point for all those who considered is a concentration of sci-fi horror cine- adult science fiction to be the exclu- matography. All the great films belon- EDITOR IN CHIEF sive prerogative of the moral and so- ging to the genre live inside the little MARCO ACCORDI RICKARDS cial reflections that the great demons jewel of Visceral Games: from Alien ART DIRECTOR STEFANO CALDARI from the past had revealed. Ridley to Event Horizon, through The Thing ISSUE #031 Scott showed us that, in addition to and the claustrophobic Alien 3, the- SEPTEMBER 2021 making us think, space can be scary, re is no detail of Dead Space that is very scary. not the result of a narrative tradition chewed up and then assimilated to generate something completely new. THE DEEP SPACE WILL BRING As a deep connoisseur of the genre, I US TOGETHER got lost looking for the wonderful ho- When Dead Space was released in mages (visual and narrative) scattered 2008, I believe it produced a similar everywhere in the game, because I as- THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL: effect, not so much for the absolute sure you that Schofield did not hidden innovation of the contents, but for its his sources of inspiration, but rather ability to combine the lessons learned made a nostalgic tribute, manifesting THE RETURN OF MR. DEAD SPACE from the cinematic trend opened by his gratitude towards the great ma- Alien with a tailor-made gameplay sters and his passion for the genre designed to set at zero the natural not only within the title, but also in by Federica Farace separation between game character the interviews made during the pro- and player. Within less than a year, motional campaign and, even later, in Game Pro has reached out to Dead Dead Space sent with good reason its the acknowledgments of each award author, Glen Schofield, to the Olym- received. Space author Glen Schofield to break pus of game design. He found himself with his first project as a leader (and A ROAD THAT SEEMED LOST the silence on The Callisto Protocol: a moderately tight budget) that was After such a disruptive exploit, finding its way not only into the he- everyone would have expected a con- its highly anticipated and terrifying arts of players, but also in those of tinuation live up to expectations, but critics, after a long apprenticeship this was not the case. In 2009, Scho- comeback, but also to explore the past, made of ups and downs. The almost field left Visceral Games and founded total freedom on the project allowed Sledgehammer Games, getting stuck present and future of interactive horror Schofield to insert in a single game with the Call of Duty saga which, al- his entire cultural baggage as a game though very successful, has little or designer and a great lover and con- nothing to do with the experimenta- noisseur of the genre: technique and tion (and themes) that Dead Space experience at the service of culture had granted him. Afterward, leaving 40 41 special features THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL 1 2 Sledgehammer and with the creation of a new studio with PUBG Corpora- tion, it seemed that Schofield’s path was marked, destined to move further and further away from the themes that led him to the Olympus of authors; but nothing was more wrong. Surpri- 1 The choice of the moon Callisto is not a coincidence. The singly, in 2019 the newborn Strike Di- presence of water below its surface makes it one of the most stance announced that it was ready to suitable destinations for the futuristic concept of a space expand the pubg narrative universe colony. 2 In several past interviews, Schofield has stated that with a story-driven horror experience the original position of the RIG had to be on Isaac's neck, and set in a space prison in the year 2030. for reasons of space and image detail it was moved to the After 11 years, Schofield was retur- back. I would say that with this new project we are back to ning to space, and no one was thrilled the neck option for the RIG. by it more than he was. In the period of time since the announ- cement, The Callisto Protocol (this is the plot will be as well as his quali- wrong, but on the neck of the prisoner the title of the new project) has shown ties, but Schofield has stated that he in the trailer of The Callisto Protocol Interview with Glen Schofield very little about itself, only some ar- will be an ordinary man (the silent en- I am almost sure there was an illumi- tworks and two wonderful trailers that gineer Isaac Clark does not tell you nated device that could not help but have allowed us to have a clear idea anything?) and that his vulnerability bring to mind the RIG and the front INTO DEEP SPACE of the intentions of their author. will be accentuated by the absence of Isaac’s suit. In Dead Space, any in- of a conventional armor. We can the- formation was transmitted through THE UNSEEN IS THE SCARIEST refore assume, that will be the same stage elements: audiologs, videolo- OF ALL with weapons. In the same way that gs, cameras, inventory and even cut- WITH A MASTER OF HORROR According to Strike Distance, The Cal- in Dead Space the player was forced scenes flowed into a single organic listo Protocol will be set entirely in- to protect himself with nothing but continuum, and I feel that, with the side a maximum-security penitentiary miner tools and everything that can help of new technologies, The Calli- on Jupiter’s fourth Galilean moon, be found on a planetcracker, I assu- sto Protocol will push this concept of GP: Hi Glen, it’s a pleasure to have out of me. If you look at the Necro- Resident Evil 4 will always stand out. Callisto. Managed by the United Ju- me that in The Callisto Protocol the identification to the next level, fur- you here for this interview, we all know morphs in Dead Space, you can really There’s just something about that piter Company, the Black Iron prison vulnerability of the protagonist will be ther raising the bar of game design how much into horror you are. So, let see the influence they had on me. In game - everything felt dark, heavy, is the ideal space stage to offer a nar- reflected by an arsenal aimed at un- gimmicks in total support of empathy me ask you to present yourself to our fact, earlier this year I had the chan- and oppressive - it was just terrifying. rative plot that develops with corrupt derlining the player’s sense of inade- and storytelling. 100% focused on the reader in a special way for this special ce to ask John Carpenter a question I played a lot of Resident Evil 4 when I multinationals, monstrous creatures quacy towards the threat he is forced story-driven single-player experience, issue: three horror authors (whichever as part of a panel for London Games was working on Dead Space and I was and sidereal space. Even watching to face. The Callisto Protocol won’t offer any medium you prefer) that have had an Week and I asked him what inspired really hoping to recreate that feeling the trailer distractedly, the sources These small details, just like the multiplayer or coop experience, or at influence on your artistic vision. And, the creatures. That was cool! in my game. RE4’s oppressive atmo- of inspiration for this new adventure stomp or sweep in Dead Space, help least that’s what its author has stated of course, why you choose them. The movie Event Horizon also had a sphere is one of the things that inspi- are clear. There’s a lot of Alien 3 in to reset the distance perceived by the so far. At this point, however, it is re- GS: Thanks for having me! Wow, just huge influence on me. I loved the fe- red the setting for the Callisto Proto- the short video, but also of Pandorum player towards the character he plays, ally difficult for us to understand how three? I love all things sci-fi and horror eling of isolation and helplessness that col. What’s more heavy, oppressive, and Carpenter’s own masterpiece since they place at the center of the all this can fit into the PUBG universe, so it’s tough to choose. But if I think comes from being trapped in space. and isolating than being trapped in a that Schofield has mentioned several action an individual whose actions whose playful assumptions are the op- about three things that have really in- There are a lot of parallels between deep space prison? times, The Thing. Lighting manage- and reactions are not at all different posite, to put it mildly. We are thrilled fluenced my work on games like Dead the USG Ishimura in Dead Space and ment has made a clear leap forward from ours in such a situation.