The Callisto Protocol is a terrifying survival horror game from Striking Distance Studios from the developers of the beloved Dead Space series.
It is cut from the same cloth with a modern flair that is polished and exquisitely disturbing. Despite Jacob Lee’s immense trauma in Black Iron Prison and beyond, the platinum trophy is surprisingly straightforward.
Most will be able to earn it quickly, especially if you’re familiar with this genre. There are some obstacles, but I’m here to give you a The Callisto Protocol Trophy guide and roadmap to discover everything this title offers.
You’ll be confronted with a challenging experience, but it’s manageable with persistence. It’s a remarkable story and atmosphere, making completing every trophy worthwhile.
I’ve conquered various survival horror games set in space, and The Callisto Protocol is one of my favorites, so you can rely on me to get you through.
However, I can’t promise you’ll be unscathed or get a good night’s rest afterward. Let’s study the protocol for each achievement so you can survive and thrive with another platinum for your collection!
Bottom Line Up Front
The bulk of earning the platinum for The Callisto Protocol involves completing the story in Maximum Security mode and discovering each collectible without missing anything. Alternatively, you can familiarize yourself with the game on a lower difficulty setting and then do the platinum run on the hardest.
Prioritizing certain upgrades will make this mode much easier, and additional online resources are necessary. The main obstacle is not dying repeatedly, but the game looks outstanding even in death.
- Genre:Â Survival Horror
- Difficulty:Â 6/10
- Average 100% Time:Â 15-30 Hours
- Total Trophies:Â 27 Offline
- # Of Required Playthroughs:Â 1-2
A Navigation Module Through the Madness
Step 1: Complete the Story while Playing “Maximum Security” Mode & Discover Every Collectible
One convenient feature is you don’t need to beat the game to unlock the highest difficulty setting. This makes it possible to get the platinum trophy in a single playthrough.
Additionally, there is no limit to how many times you can die before starting over, as observed in other survival horror titles. You won’t have to worry about saving issues because checkpoints are abundant before the major difficult bosses.
The main differences between Easy & Maximum Security include double the amount of enemy health and the damage they inflict. Health & Ammo drops are the same, but if you ask me, they should be reduced too.
Still, the enemies will give you a run for your money, so to enjoy the game, I would first play on a lower difficulty if you aren’t confident or want to absorb the organic experience before trophy hunting. I advise you to follow a guide regarding collectibles because there is no chapter selection or new game plus.
Procedure for Completing the Game in a Single Playthrough During Maximum Security Difficulty
Start the game right out of the gate on the hardest difficulty and then use a collectible guide to traverse all the optional paths and trigger various encounters to pick up everything. Biting the bullet and beating its most challenging setting is the key to getting the platinum trophy quicker.
You’ll struggle, but it’s worth it if you wish to save time. I preferred to complete it in one shot because you’ll likely need a mental break after playing this frightful game before starting again. Case in point, I saw the Red Marker in my dreams after playing Dead Space.
Method for Completing in Two Playthroughs
If you decide to play on Easy difficulty, I suggest you use this time to get all collectibles except the one earned by completing Maximum Security. By the end of your playthrough, you’ll have achieved 91% of the trophies and won’t be stressing about it during the more brutal run.
The advantage of this approach is that you’ll have a mental map of the game and know the enemy spawns. This makes Maximum Security mode a lot easier and less surprising.
You won’t have to explore as much and can push through it quicker. If you aren’t well-acquainted with survival horror, this is the route I suggest, as it will feel more comprehensive.
Imperative Information Before Starting
- Collectibles have been known not to unlock sometimes, and it can be especially devastating with The Callisto Protocol because there is no way to play individual chapters. Because of this, I highly suggest you create a manual save at the beginning of every chapter so you can restart if it doesn’t unlock.
- The “Grim Reaper” trophy needs clarification. It mentions collecting implant bios from harvesting various corpses in a given area. Keep in mind that there are 43 total, and this also includes the ones which are not collected from carcasses. Following the collectible guide should clarify this, but I figured you should be aware before starting.Â
Efficient Upgrades to Prioritize
You’ll be pushed to the limit when playing Maximum Security mode, so you must prioritize the correct upgrades to make the platinum road less arduous. Here are the most viable weapons & upgrades worth considering that I found extremely helpful.
- Melee Damage For Stun Baton:Â In The Callisto Protocol, melee weapons are used primarily and would help to upgrade this damage immediately. You have unlimited usage of these weapons; damage is crucial for increasing their effectiveness.
- Melee Speed For Stun Baton:Â Speed is the second most important attribute for the stun baton. This will help you quickly tear their limbs off and hack them to bits. When combined with your prudent damage investment, this combination is lethal.
- Riot Shotgun:Â This weapon is worth the upgrades, but I would steer clear of the final upgrade since it’s not worth it in the long run because it uses ammo rather quickly.
- Assault Rifle:Â Save your credits to buy more assault rifle ammo because you’ll need it. The final boss is a damage sponge, and the assault rifle is the most efficient weapon for dealing with him in Maximum Security mode.
- Skunk Gun:Â A good weapon for some quick damage for bosses, but I would upgrade sparingly and prioritize the assault rifle.
The Callisto Protocol Achievement Guide
Suit up and make sure you have plenty of oxygen. It’s time to plunge into the nightmare and explain how to achieve each trophy so you can take home that bright platinum!Â
It’s Over, Jacob!
Collect all trophies in the game
- Grade:Â Platinum
- Player %:Â 35.70%
Earning all the other trophies will unlock the platinum achievement.
Paper Jams
Print your first weapon
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 92.15%
When you reach Chapter 3, titled “Aftermath,” you’ll be introduced to the crafting system. Elias will give you a gun part with instructions to craft at the nearby Reforge.
There is a crate on the right side of the machine, so break it to claim the necessary credits. Use them to craft the Hand Cannon, which will earn the trophy.
Reforged
Print a weapon upgrade
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 89.41%
Try to collect sufficient Callisto Credits during Chapter One so you can afford to purchase a weapon upgrade shortly after you forge the first weapon. If not, the following chapters will have multiple opportunities to do this. Simply crafting a weapon upgrade unlocks the trophy.
Giving Back
Backstab five blind enemies
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 70.93%
This can be accomplished best when you reach Chapter Six. Here you’ll stumble on some enemies who can’t see you and are hyper-sensitive to sound.
The game is pretty clear in this section because it’s introducing the stealth kill mechanic. It’s also their way of handing you the trophy without a sweat. Use crouch to approach them carefully and then backstab five to earn the medal.
If you are having trouble and keep alerting them, a good strategy is to use your GPD device to throw objects and get them in a more manageable position.
Stabbing and killing one of them will not alert others nearby, so have at it when the opportunity arises. Keep reloading the save until you successfully kill five. There will also be other opportunities to get these stealth kills later.Â
I Do Belong Here
Conquer the game on any difficulty setting
- Grade:Â Gold
- Player %:Â 66.24%
Please reference The Protocol Is About Life for this achievement.
You Need a Gun
Completely upgrade a single weapon
- Grade:Â Gold
- Player %:Â 69.16%
I suggest you shoot for fully upgrading the BI-55 as it’s the easiest to accomplish quickly. There is a smaller amount of upgrades, with four total, and they’re all much cheaper than the standard weapons.
Credits are critical in the end game for purchasing ammo, so there is no need to waste them on a more demanding weapon. On that note, scavenge all the sellable items to rack up the dough, and you’ll be better off playing Maximum Security mode.
The Protocol is about Life
Conquer the Maximum Security mode
- Grade:Â Gold
- Player %:Â 40.40%
This difficulty grabs you by the throat and never lets go until the end. Don’t let it discourage you; try to see the beauty behind accomplishing a significant challenge. Ammo conservation is one of the keys to success, so use it wisely. You must also polish your dodging skills to prevent taking excessive damage.
Stealth kills and sneaking past enemies is also a wise strategy that aids in conserving ammo. Within the stun baton upgrade tree, a skill called “blocks do not damage” is mandatory.
Maxing out upgrades for the GRP is a good security blanket too. Like the Dead Space series, every weapon has an alternative fire mode. Although they are effective, I would limit your usage because they deplete your ammo fast. Your default strategy for this mode is to use the GRP as much as possible, being a regenerating weapon.
Upgrading the GRP lets you launch and kill enemies by slamming into walls. Not only that, but it will give you some more space to work with and reduce stress levels.
Grim Reaper
Harvest all implant bios and read them
- Grade:Â Gold
- Player %:Â 41.39%
When you reach Chapter Three, you’ll be familiarized with implant bios, the chips on the back of a human’s neck. Each chapter spreads these out; you will find them all with a collectible guide. Harvesting and reading them will earn you the trophy.
The Commonality
Unveil the Kallipolis mystery
- Grade:Â Gold
- Player %:Â 52.87%
This trophy revolves around discovering some secret locations in two chapters. When you reach Chapter 3, there is a path you can take when you get to the Machine Room on the left side.
Go into Workshop B415, and you’ll notice a duct to your right. Take that path to the end, and you’ll reach one of the secret rooms with an audio log collectible.
The second secret location is discoverable in Chapter 6 when you reach the power plant after traversing through the tunnels. Moving through the lower floor, you’ll eventually see a ladder. That’s your cue to examine the area opposite the ladder, and you can observe a hole in the wall.
Enter the hole and follow the path until you come across two doors. You must go through another hole on the right side again in this spot. There is an audio log at the end, and you will unlock the achievement for discovering both locations.
Get a Grip
Use the GRP to grab 25 enemies
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 81.56%
When you reach the midpoint of Chapter 3, you’ll get the GRP device. Utilize it to grab 25 enemies, and don’t worry about running out of power because it automatically regenerates. Killing them isn’t necessary for this trophy. Grab them, and the award will unlock.
Terminated
Eradicate a security robot
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 68.87%
When you reach the “Aftermath” chapter, you’ll have a golden opportunity to blast one of the robots in the head with your hand cannon. Be careful and take cover because it will self-destruct. This will take a few shots, but it’s easy to accomplish. Once the robot is destroyed, it will earn you the trophy.
Two Heads are Better than One
Defeat the two-head
- Grade:Â Gold
- Player %:Â 69.64%
This is a story-related trophy that’s impossible to miss and is earned after defeating the two-head boss. The key to this fight is not to let him get the range to attack you. Keep avoiding attacks while shooting occasionally, and don’t get greedy, or he will mess you up.
In Striking Distance
Defeat an enemy utilizing GRP and melee combo together
- Grade:Â Gold
- Player %:Â 54.68%
This trophy becomes possible to earn after you reach Chapter 3 and get the GRP device. Use it to bring an enemy to you and then melee them to death to unlock this trophy.
Enhancing the baton’s damage will make this a bit easier if you’re having problems. However, you want to earn this trophy early because the enemies will get harder to defeat as you progress.
Mugshot
Use photo mode to snap a photo
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 63.76%
There is no easier trophy in the game than this one. Open photo mode and take a photo; that’s it. It doesn’t matter what picture you take.
Float Like a Butterfly
Execute a perfect dodge five times
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 62.69%
Time to channel your inner Muhammad Ali for this one. You won’t get any information about perfect dodges or how to execute them. In essence, you must wait until the last frame utilizing the stick in any given direction to avoid an incoming attack.
It’s more accessible if you keep grinding with easier enemies and reloading a checkpoint until the trophy unlocks. You need a total of five perfect dodges to earn it.
Flesh Wound
Utilize ranged or melee weapons to take both arms off a live enemy
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 97.03%
This is another walk in the park. When Elias hands you the shiv, you’ll go over a bridge, and then there will be a quick time event segment with some inmates that will grant the crowbar.
Shortly after, you’ll be greeted by a mutant that can be hit until both arms are removed. This will unlock the trophy easily with minimal effort.
Chew ‘Em Up
Destroy ten enemies using hazards from the environment
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 83.30%
The Callisto Protocol has many environmental hazards to kill enemies, so you’re never short of opportunities. Specifically, there’s a part when you reach the end of Chapter 2 where you move some batteries.
After that, you can hurl some enemies into a deadly contraption and grind out the trophy. This will likely unlock naturally, but if it doesn’t, keep restarting to earn the award.
Workplace Hazard
Kill an enemy using the GRP to throw them into an environmental hazard
- Grade:Â Silver
- Player %:Â 85.62%
There are spikes and various other environmental hazards throughout the game. Use your GRP to throw them into one, unlocking the trophy.
The Outer Way
Find the Outer Way boarding craft
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 97.91%
This is a story-related trophy that is unmissable. It is the first one unlocked in Chapter One. You’ll discover the Outer way when you enter the hold, and the trophy unlocks.
Desperate Times
Jacob receives a shiv from Elias
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 97.05%
This story-related trophy is unmissable and earned when Elias gives you a shiv from within his cell.
If the SHU Fits…
Activate the SHU
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 86.10%
This story-related trophy is unmissable and is unlocked after reuniting with Elias. Shortly after, you will activate the SHU, earning the achievement.
Without a Paddle
Make it through the pipe slide alive
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 79.19%
This story-related trophy is unmissable and is unlocked after completing the pipe slide sequence.
Crash Site
Return to the crashed ship
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 73.13%
This story-related trophy is unmissable and is unlocked when you return to the crashed ship in Chapter 5.
In the Pipe, Five by Five
Make it to the Hangar flight deck
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 73.02%
This story-related trophy is unmissable and is unlocked when you reach the hangar flight deck in Chapter 5.
Power Up
Restore power to the old facility
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 71.16%
This story-related trophy is unmissable and is unlocked by restoring power to the old facility. To accomplish this, enter the power tunnels to activate three relays. Go to the tram to get the access card first, and the trophy unlocks after the third relay is on.
What Lies Beneath
Discover the source
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 68.20%
This story-related trophy is unmissable when you reach the underground biodome and will unlock when you walk through the corridor.
Full Circle
Get thrown back into your original cell
- Grade:Â Bronze
- Player %:Â 68.06%
This story-related trophy unlocks at the start of Chapter 9.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Is the Callisto Protocol Difficult to Platinum?
Answer: Overall, the trophies are straightforward but not without challenging sequences. Gamers have collectively rated this game a 7/10 for unlocking them all, so you should expect some setbacks and moments of agony.
However, this is worth the struggle if you’re a survivor and enjoy a good thrill. The key is ammo conservation and using the GRP often while using the assault rifle.
Question: Can You Earn All the Trophies in a Single Playthrough?
Answer: There is a way to get them all in a single playthrough, but it’s probably better for beginners to play twice to save some stress. If you follow my guide, then it won’t take long because it’s a shorter game.
My goal was to reduce the number of deaths you experience significantly. Still, seeing the death animations is incredible, so you don’t want to miss out on them!
Question: What’s the Most Challenging Part about Earning this Achievement?
Answer: Aside from the horrifying nature of this game and being petrified in fear, the hardest part is completing the Maximum Security difficulty. This can be tricky and might stagnate your progression towards platinum.
Additionally, you won’t have access to individual chapters after completing the game and no new game+, so that’s another limiting reality.
Callisto Protocol Platinum Completed!
- Title: It’s over, Jacob!
- Grade: Platinum
- Player %: 35.70%
Congratulations! You’ve just earned the Callisto Protocol platinum achievement. I applaud your effort because, despite being shorter, it isn’t an easy task. If you enjoyed this game and haven’t played Dead Space, then I highly recommend you check that series out since it’s from the same veteran developers.