Looking for a few games like The Callisto Protocol? This survival horror game from Striking Distance Studios was one of the biggest new launches of 2022. As such, players may want to test the water by checking out a few similarly themed games prior to its release.
In this list, we'll run through a few games that, to us, seem reminiscent of the aesthetics, gameplay, and themes of The Callisto Protocol. Now we've had a chance to play the game, we've got some recommendations that definitely feel similar.
Games like The Callisto Protocol
- The Last of Us Part I
- Resident Evil 3 (2020)
- Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel
- Aliens Fireteam Elite
- Metroid Dread
- Dead Space 3
The Last of Us Part I
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+ 6The first pick on our list is a horror classic, reimagined for contemporary hardware.
Naughty Dog's remake of the 2013 hit The Last of Us updates the visuals and performance to harness the power of PlayStation 5, and the end result is an expectedly more polished version of the game than we've ever seen. If you're excited for the sci-fi horror thrills of The Callisto Protocol but want something more grounded in the meantime, The Last of Us Part I will hit the spot.
The deep, character-driven story of Ellie and Joel is as potent as ever here, with upgraded character models and new gore physics present to make the violence more visceral than ever. If you've never experienced the story before, this remake is definitely the best way to see it: especially with the Last of Us TV show right around the corner.
The only controversy around The Last of Us Part I is its £70 price tag. Those who have obsessively played the original may not see the value, but newcomers to the franchise, and diehards alike, won't find a better-looking version of the game.
Resident Evil 3 (2020)
click to enlarge + 6Next is another survival horror remake, but one that much more drastically transforms its source material. In this follow-up to the 2019 remake of Resident Evil 2, you play as Jill Valentine while Raccoon City falls at the hands of undead hordes. Alongside the Umbrella Corporation's bespoke bioweapon Nemesis that's forever giving chase, it's an action-packed and brutal quest to survive.
This remake harnesses the RE Engine to make the visuals pop, with detailed settings and stunning rain effects. Jill Valentine's story isn't as instantly memorable as Leon and Claire's in Resident Evil 2, but this sequel explores more metropolitan areas as society crumbles - with a hugely memorable stalker villain to boot.
The main quest breezes past within five hours, leaving you the asymmetrical multiplayer mode called Resident Evil Resistance to try out afterwards. With a remake of Resident Evil 4 releasing in 2023, now is the perfect time to brush up on the franchise.
Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel
click to enlarge + 6Next on our list is a recent survival horror game that captures the dingy locales and claustrophobic gameplay of The Callisto Protocol. In Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel, you play as a journalist investigating mysterious disappearances within the eponymous hotel. Before you know it, demonic creatures are lingering in the halls, and a time-spanning story unfolds to explain the drama.
It feels very much like a tribute to survival horror classics such as the Resident Evil series, with limited supplies of ammo and deep environmental storytelling that encourages exploration. If The Callisto Protocol aims to make far-flung spaceships a scary prospect, then this game does it for hotels. Let that be a warning if you're a frequent traveller.
Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel doesn't reinvent the wheel, but its 12-hour campaign gives you plenty of scares and even more bubbling atmospheric tension to endure. Until The Callisto Protocol comes out, this could claim the title of 2022's scariest game.
Aliens: Fireteam Elite
click to enlarge + 6Ridley Scott's 1979 classic Alien was the film that put sci-fi horror on the map, and is undoubtedly a big inspiration behind the aesthetics of The Callisto Protocol. As such, it's impossible not to recommend the most recent game in the series: a co-op shooter called Aliens: Fireteam Elite.
Developed by Cold Iron Studios, you control a squad of Colonial Marines as you respond to a distress call that inevitably leads to a swarm of xenomorphs invading. It's a lot more action-packed than Alien Isolation, another popular entry in the series, instead giving you the firepower to lay waste to those pesky xenomorphs rather than turn-tail and run.
If you like horror games that arm you with a bit more firepower, Aliens: Fireteam Elite may just do the trick. You can also play with up to three other friends to clear missions within challenge times, giving it plenty of replayability.
Metroid Dread
click to enlarge + 6For games set in space that aren't quite as terrifying as The Callisto Protocol looks to be, Metroid Dread is more than a suitable replacement. This side-scrolling Nintendo Switch adventure reinvented the hit franchise after several FPS releases, bringing it back to its roots in a challenging but addictive Metroidvania experience.
Players once again fill the space boots of legendary warrior Samus. This time, however, she's fleeing a legion of robots tracking her down as public enemy number one. Cue plenty of platforming, as well as gruelling boss battles that'll push you to your limit. It's a return to the franchise's roots in more than one way, and one that became the best-selling game in the series as a result.
If you're worried that the intense gore and gruelling atmosphere of The Callisto Protocol may be too much for you, Metroid Dread is a solid way to dip your toes in to see whether the spooky sci-fi genre is for you or not. It's a triumphant return for one of gaming's most enduring franchises, and one of the most popular Switch games ever.
Dead Space 3
click to enlarge + 6Given the Dead Space franchise is the main inspiration behind The Callisto Protocol, the last pick on our list should come as no surprise. We could've picked any of the trilogy to appear on this list, but the most recent entry is not only easier to get a hold of on modern Xbox consoles thanks to Game Pass, but also contains a co-op mode you can run through with a friend.
Just as in past entries of the storied series, you once again play as Isaac Clarke, the hapless space mechanic turned necromorph hunter. This time around he has company in John Carver, who can be controlled by online co-op partners. Together you scour the icy planet of Tau Volantis, which a far cry from the dingy spaceships and tight corridors of previous games in the series for better or for worse.
Some fans lamented this game's move towards action over survival horror, but the good news is that all of the Dead Space trilogy can be played on the latest Xbox consoles as well as PC. Equally, a next-gen reboot is due to release in 2023, so the horror never has to stop.
That's it for our choice of games like The Callisto Protocol! Any of these choices will tide you by until the exciting new survival horror game launches. Just be sure you leave a light on if things get too scary!
Elsewhere, check out our picks of the best free horror games for a few equally scary hits that won't cost you a penny. We also recently selected a list of games like The Last of Us, on top of a few games like Skyrim to keep the recommendations rolling in no matter your genre and setting preference.