Underway by former developers of the Dead Space franchise, Striking Distance Studios’ The Callisto Protocol certainly has a lot to live up to among fans of the gruesome survival horror, especially as EA has already greenlit a remake of the groundbreaking original experience. In the months of silence since its initial announcement, a new trailer has now been revealed for The Callisto Protocol, highlighting the title’s first gameplay and formally setting a release date.

As seen in the footage below, The Callisto Protocol is on track to release on December 2nd, launching for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S as well as the last-gen PS4 and Xbox One. As one might expect, the title boasts a very desolate setting, taking place on a “dead moon” of Jupiter called Callisto in the far future of 2320. Players follow Jacob Lee (portrayed by actor Josh Duhamel), an inmate of Black Iron Prison forced to survive a mysterious outbreak that mutates its victims into grotesque monsters called Biophage.

As per the PlayStation Blog, The Callisto Protocol is designed to burst with a creepy atmosphere and relentless tension, enlisting players to survive and uncover the “dark secrets” of the United Jupiter Company in a “deep, immersive” story. Gameplay-wise, the game features a “strategic combat system” centering on forcing players to “get up close and personal” with enemies, namely in the form of a “unique gravity weapon” called the GRP, which is teased to “seamlessly blend melee combat and gunplay.”

“Black Iron guards use the GRP to control the prison population, but it also allows Jacob to get creative in how he battles the Biophage. Players can freeze a rushing enemy in their tracks, or even throw Biophage into a nearby turbine fan or environmental hazard to escape a seemingly dire situation.”

Originally announced back at TGA 2020, Striking Distance has been developing The Callisto Protocol with the goal of being “the scariest game on next-gen platforms.” Notably, the title was originally supposed to be set in the same universe as the battle royale game PUBG, albeit, 300 years in the future. However, The Callisto Protocol has since lost that descriptor, with the project now sporting “its own world, story and universe,” according to CEO Glen Schofield. However, the game is teased to “still have little surprises for fans.”

​What do you think? Are you looking to get good and scared with The Callisto Protocol, or are you slightly bummed that PUBG is out of the picture? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day!​

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