I note that I have not played any Dead Space games.

If I could give it 3.5 stars, I would, but since that's not possible, I'll give it 4.

It's a visually stunning game that truly impresses in some areas. I especially appreciate that the protagonist is actually a well-known actor, and the production team did a great job capturing emotions on his face.

As for the choices you have, they are not many, whether it's related to your weapons against the creatures or the combat system (after a certain point, the defense you have is just copy-paste). If this doesn't bother you, then you won't have any issues with your playthrough.

The biggest weakness for me was the storyline, not because it's bad, but because it's a storyline we have definitely seen thousands of times. It does have a plot twist, but personally, it wasn't enough for me... I won't go into details to avoid spoiling anything.

Also, one thing that bothered me is the typical hiccup in this kind of game. Whenever you're close to completing your mission, there's always a setback... I can accept one or maybe two, but in this particular game, it felt like my character was born on a Saturday and cursed.

I really can't understand the negative reviews for the game. Yes, it's not perfect, but it's a very good game that will give you 10-15 hours of enjoyable and entertaining gaming. Its graphics are beautiful. Incredibly! Really! The sound is also very good. Both the music and the sound effects immerse you in the atmosphere and keep you engaged. The story is also very good and interesting. Where it falls a bit for me is the battle system. It can be a bit tiresome at first and takes some getting used to, but once you learn it, it's great. In the second playthrough and in NG+ where I had the upgrades and knew the game and enemies better, I really enjoyed it. In the moderate difficulty, there are parts that are difficult due to the battle system and camera. Also, what bothered me a bit was the movement of the "monsters" and their sound after you killed them. Many of them moved in a way that defied physics and their pieces would fly around left and right, sometimes ruining the atmosphere. Overall, it's a very good sci-fi horror game that will satisfy fans of the genre and more. And for me, kudos to the developers who dared to release a relatively linear game against the trend of open-world games. 10-15 full and satisfying hours of gameplay without getting tired or repetitive! Finally, as a recommendation, I suggest playing the game in NG+. It becomes much more enjoyable with all the weapons and upgrades! At the price it is now (~20€), it's a steal for me!

One of the best single-player games I've engaged with in 2023. Wonderful next-gen graphics, top-notch sound, nice story, and an amazing sci-fi/horror atmosphere that I haven't experienced since The Last of Us. Generally, the horror is pervasive in the game as you never know what awaits you around every corner (not recommended for the claustrophobic).
Many are talking about a remake of Dead Space, but I have no opinion as I haven't engaged with the game in the past.
What I know is that it kept me on edge, and I spent several hours of enjoyment with it. I will definitely buy the expansion if it offers the same level of action.

Update: I ended up buying the game's expansion, Final Transmission, which remains just as good as the original. I can say that the excitement is comparable, although being aware of the jump scares, someone won't have difficulty completing it. New challenges, new challenges in the same style as the original. The enemies remain the same with a few exceptions. It doesn't disappoint either, although it is noticeably smaller in size than the original game.

I downloaded it for free from the PS store (October games, psplus essential). I don't understand why it has received so much criticism! The game is very good! Fans of the genre (sci-fi survival horror) will enjoy it!
1. The graphics and lighting are incredible!
2. The sound is amazing, especially if you wear headphones!
3. The level design is exceptional and the atmosphere is chilling!
4. The gameplay didn't seem monotonous or bad to me, on the contrary, I found it very interesting and it contributes nicely to the creation of the atmosphere and intensity that the game generates.
5. The facial animations of the actors (Josh Duhamel, Karen Fukuhara, Sam Witwer) are perfect, as well as their performances!
6. The story escalates very nicely up to the last cut-scene!
Regarding the difficulty of the game, I chose minimum security with all the active assists it offers so that it wouldn't frustrate me!
I believe that the experience of wandering through the spaces of Black Iron prison is worth it!

Well, simply put:
1. The game has very good graphics, worthy of the PS5.
2. Storywise, it doesn't have crazy twists, but it has commendable and overall great touches that keep you engaged.
3. Gameplay and combat system: many talk about the repetitiveness, but even though it has frequent battles (which I don't consider a negative), I can't say that I got bored or found it repetitious. It has a good variety of enemies and plenty of weapons to make combos or use what is necessary depending on the situation. I didn't have any problems like being overwhelmed by everyone in fights. The resources and their management are very well integrated for what the Callisto Protocol is, meaning a survival horror atmospheric game.
4. The sound and music are not disappointing in any way.
It has many similarities with Dead Space, but it definitely maintains its own unique character that makes it stand out.
At the price it has dropped (€19.00 - €25.00), it is a blind purchase for the experience it offers. Kudos definitely for the atmosphere it manages to achieve without making it boring or tedious in any way.

I finished the game with the timer showing 14 hours. A very satisfying duration for the completely linear world that gives you an extra path to explore in each area to search for audio logs, weapon blueprints, and consumables/credits that I discovered by exploring everything. The photo mode is on fire as the visual field is out of this world! Perhaps the most photorealistic character I have seen in a video game. The expressions on his face during gameplay and the animations he does while Jacob is moving, for example, he will look at his hand to see if everything is okay with his suit, he will crack his neck, or raise his eyebrows to relax, all of these help to fully immerse you in the realistic world that the developers Striking Distance have created.

Speaking of a realistic world, let's move on to the gameplay, starting with how heavy our character is to control. His movements are slow, realistic, and flawless, reaching perfection. The combat system works very well in the shooting part, but it's the melee that steals the show. The intensity and anxiety of the hand-to-hand battles are something unique and keep you alert and ready for anything that comes your way! There are many ways to eliminate enemies, and the hardest part of the battle is deciding who to choose, as each battle is literally a fight for survival, and the decision-action is vital if you want to come out alive and save on Health Injections. Personally, I consider it the highlight of the game.

The sound reaches chilling levels, playing with your psychology by using environmental sounds such as dripping pipes, creaking metals, and music that intensifies as you progress towards the point where you saw some movement, etc. Overall, it's an exceptional job as befits a horror game.

The story seemed quite interesting to me, with the highlight being our main character played by Josh Duhamel, delivering a fantastic performance in both motion/facial capture and voice acting. I don't need to mention more as it is purely subjective.

I had a great time playing it, enjoying to the fullest what the game had to offer, saving a ton of screenshots and video captures from the beautifully designed areas of the game and the shockingly violent executions. The poor guy has taken so much beating in the game from the mutants and from the reviews on real-world sites.

For those who are fans of Dead Space, Alien Isolation, and other sci-fi horror games and are still considering it due to the reviews, I have one thing to say. Buy it fearlessly and don't look at negative reviews... Just - "INITIATE THE CALLISTO PROTOCOL"!