The Callisto Protocol PC became a case study of how on Earth it could be possible to deliver a game in a state where it was completely unenjoyable on the first run. That's because the shaders were being compiled during the actual gameplay instead of before, leading to obscene stutters even on the most high-end configurations.
How did it happen? Striking Distance Studios CEO Glen Schofield gave an explanation to fans via Twitter.
Dude, a damn clerical error on that. Just about fixed. Probably is but not sure. A lot going on here!
Later on, he took responsibility for the mistake that led to the disastrous launch performance of The Callisto Protocol on PC.
I’ll figure out how this happened, but right now, my focus is fixing. All our energy is on that. In the end, I’m responsible and accountable.
When someone suggested the game shouldn't have been released in this state, Schofield agreed and promised fixes.
You’re right. We just didn’t realize all the issues. We’re going to fix them.
The first patch for The Callisto Protocol PC did improve the situation, especially with regards to the shader compilation problem, but other issues remain. Schofield acknowledged as much.
Patches are coming. Don’t give up yet. You could try it and if it stutters just give us a little more time. We’ll get there.
Interestingly, Striking Distance Studios is also working on gameplay tweaks. One user complained about the dodge system's issues when dealing with multiple enemies at once, and Schofield replied:
Tweaks to gameplay are coming. Look for updates.
The Callisto Protocol could have definitely used some more time in the oven. In Wccftech's review, Kai Powell wrote:
While an incredible looker in screenshots and death scenes, The Callisto Protocol suffers from a lack of intriguing content that makes the twelve-plus hour journey through Black Iron Prison worth two, even perhaps one single playthrough. Crafting and skill trees are both minimal in nature (with both costing a heavy amount of credits where players might only be able to fully upgrade two or three weapons in the full playthrough) while melee combat and combat encounters as a whole feel largely scripted. The horror elements stand out as reason alone to play Striking Distance's debut horror game, but you might want to find yourself getting thrown back into Black Iron Prison rather than see the journey through to the end.
