Back in December 2022, when players first embarked on a bloodcurdling journey through Black Iron Prison, many felt The Callisto Protocol was sorely lacking in engaging combat, enemy variety, and story. After months of updates and feedback, the question fans are wondering is: has The Callisto Protocol: Final Transmission done enough to reinvigorate the game?
As someone who enjoyed the base game, the DLC disappointingly adds more of the same. From lengthy vent crawls that slow the pace down to linear level design that funnels you through corridors, Final Transmission offers little to shake up the original formula. However, a few new additions are implemented, such as the Biobot, a fearsome new enemy built from both machine and flesh, as well as a brand-new kinetic hammer to smash them with.
The hammer is especially fun as you feel the impact of each bone-crushing hit, decimating most of the reused enemies in a single swing. The hammer comes with a new charge-up attack, which is difficult to pull off when surrounded by the Biophage and at times can feel unsatisfying. It’s so powerful that you only unlock it two-thirds of the way through, giving you a short period to play with the new weapon. You can’t even use it in the base game, which is a missed opportunity. The developers should just disable achievements and let the kinetic beauty swing to turn vicious enemies into pulp.
The only boss in Final Transmission does shake up the gameplay in a big way, introducing new attacks that put players to the test. Playing this section on maximum security was frustrating as the difficulty spike shot through the flesh-infested ceiling. This felt rather incongruous in comparison to the fair challenge the DLC had offered until this point. The boss chips away at your health with a variety of ranged and melee attacks, which left a bad taste in my mouth. Mostly because the hit animations, while immersive, are sluggish against an enemy who has a gigantic health bar, which doesn’t translate to fun.
The ending also makes you go, “What the heck?” as it embraces the “it was all a dream” trope, which is a difficult twist to get right. This makes you question the whole experience of what was real and what wasn’t, which on paper sounds great, but, in this case, it fails to pay off the cliffhanger ending of the base game.
It’s not all doom and gloom, as Striking Distance Studios has proven to masterfully create a sci-fi/horror atmosphere that is so immersive you’ll often find yourself gazing in awe and disgust at the incredible scenery and grotesque fleshy environment that glues it all together. The animations throughout are visually flawless, and the game can certainly feel intense at times when a horde of Biophages comes charging at you from all sides. Final Transmission even dips into some psychological elements that bend your perspective in interesting ways, like when you watch yourself open a crate after just opening it.
While Final Transmission resurfaces some glaring issues that stem from the base game, there are elements to enjoy in this short, sweet, and sour DLC that leave you longing for more. Increased enemy variety and bigger story set pieces would have helped differentiate the DLC from the base game in a more vivid way. Mostly predictable jump scares packaged together with an underwhelming ending that might have put the IP to rest make for a lacklustre experience. While a sequel may be the only way to address some of the issues brought up, it might be best for Striking Distance Studios to start fresh with a new concept and new ideas. Hopefully, the developers stick with their horror roots on the next project, as potential is within their grasp — they just let it slip on The Callisto Protocol.
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