The only rule is that there is no rule when creating a horror game -SF survival horror THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL Chief Development Officer [Exclusive Mail Interview]

Survival horror THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL to be released on December 2 for PC/PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X | S/Xbox One. GAMESPARK conducted an exclusive Japanese media interview with the developer Striking Distance Studios's highest development manager Steve Papoutis *.

-The tendency of the game is better than the action, stealth, adventure, and puzzles. For example, is the player basically required to defeat the enemy monster? Or is the total number of fighting directly in terms of resources, so I have to avoid it?

Steve Paputis The Callisto Protocol is a survival horror game, so it contains action, puzzle, light stealth, and a little adventure, but there are many horror.

Players have many options to fight in-game creatures and enemies. Sometimes you have to fight to survive, while you may want to avoid battle.

――What are the retry points set when the game is over? Can you expect a simple replay like a soul-like?

Steve Paputis's The Callisto Protocol is a difficult play, but it is incomparable to Seoul games. There are many retry points. I want to cherish the tension and fear of encountering an enemy, but I don't want you to be frustrated.

We will prepare multiple difficulty levels, so I think that players who want to challenge to the limit, as well as players who want to enjoy only the story, will enjoy it.

――What is the size of the game planned?

The size and length of Steve Paputis games have not yet been confirmed. We are still working and are fine-tuning the contents and difficulty of the game. I look forward to the same length as other genres' games.

――Which difficulty of the game should be assumed? The trend is DEAD SPACE, Dark Soul or Resident Evil.

Mr. Steve Paputis is still fine-tuned, but I think it will be a game comparable to Resident Evil and DEAD SPACE rather than Dark Soul.

Players can choose the difficulty level according to their taste and make the game difficult and easier.

――As the direction of fear, is it a fear of unknown or a surprising box-like surprise?

The only rule when making Steve Paputis horror games is that there are no rules. Intuition is important. That's why I'm thinking of a horror engineering that mixes various elements necessary to scare people, such as atmosphere, tension, cruelty, humanity, and helplessness. Then mix these details so that they don't know what will happen, and let the player guess.

-In the initial advertising, this work was described in the relevance of PUBG, but what benefits were gained by breaking away from that?

Steve Paputis When we started working on the game, the story was part of the Pubg Universe timeline. However, the game changes in the process of development. As we worked on the story, the story became bigger and more independent. As a result, we were able to get completely creative freedom, and Krafton supported it 100 %. The Callisto Protocol is a unique story, its own character appears and is drawn in a unique world view.

――The story within the published range is full of struggles with unknown monsters, but can players expect human drama and romance with the remaining survivors in this extreme situation? Or is such an element integrated in Jacob's past?

Steve Paputis We are making horror games, but there is no romance in the plot. There are many twists in the plot, and the psycho horror element is introduced in the experience, but there is not much romance.

**-For example, in DEAD SPACE, the enemy's disconnection had a significant meaning, but will this work be like that?

Steve Paputis players can shoot and cut off the enemy's arms, legs, and heads in the game, which is only one of our many features of our combat system.

One of the most fun parts of this battle system is a brawl that players face the creatures in the game. In addition to guns, various actions are possible, such as dodging with left sticks, blocking, attacking enemies with a stun-sticks, grabbing and throwing enemies with gravity weapons GRP.

――Do you consider expression regulations in the Japanese version of this work? If it is regulated, will it be considered so that it doesn't have a big impact on the game experience (for example, it is not an implementation that the enemy's limbs cannot be cut, and even if they are cut in game, they cannot be understood in terms of visual aspects. Something such as violent disappearance, etc.)

――When a large regulation is performed in the console version, is it possible that a PC version that does not involve the rating agency will release the representation regulation?

Steve Papoutis We will comply with all the local rules and regulations related to the game and provide fun experiences regardless of the changes in the necessary content.

The Callisto Protocol will be released on December 2, 2022.