The Callisto Protocol™
The first 3 hours are a test
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 2 reviews are negative (62%); after 10h it's 1 in 4 (24%).
- Fully opens up by hour 10.
- The opening is criticised more than in 91% of games we track.
- 47% of players who start reach the ending.
- Most players drop off before “If the SHU Fits...” (Activate the SHU): only 71% of starters get there.
- 91% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 44,182 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 297 reviews: 15h for positive, 9.3h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (90.9% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- If the SHU Fits... Activate the SHU Most players quit here 71% −29
- Crash Site Return to the crashed ship 54% −18
- In the Pipe, Five by Five Reach the Hangar flight deck 53%
- Power Up Restore power to the old facility 51% −3
- What Lies Beneath Find the source 47% −3
- Full Circle Get thrown back into original cell 47%
story milestone ending biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (46)
story milestone ending side
- The Outer Way Find the Outer Way boarding craft 100%
- Desperate Times Elias gives Jacob a shiv 97%
- Flesh Wound Use melee or ranged weapons to take both arms off a living enemy 96%
- Paper Jams Print a weapon for the first time 83%
- Reforged Print a weapon upgrade 77%
- If the SHU Fits... Activate the SHU 71%
- Workplace Hazard Use GRP to kill an enemy by throwing them into an environmental hazard 68%
- Chew 'Em Up Kill ten enemies with environmental hazards 66%
- Without A Paddle Survive the pipeslide 61%
- Get a Grip Grab twenty-five enemies with the GRP 61%
- Crash Site Return to the crashed ship 54%
- In the Pipe, Five by Five Reach the Hangar flight deck 53%
- Power Up Restore power to the old facility 51%
- Two Heads Are Better Than One Take down the two-head 49%
- What Lies Beneath Find the source 47%
- Full Circle Get thrown back into original cell 47%
- Terminated Take down a security robot 45%
- I Do Belong Here Beat the game on any difficulty 44%
- Giving Back Stab five blind enemies in the back 44%
- Float Like A Butterfly Perfect dodge five times 40%
- You Need a Gun Fully Upgrade One Weapon 39%
- The Commonality Uncover the mystery of Kallipolis 22%
- In Striking Distance Kill an enemy via GRP and a melee combo 22%
- Keep Fighting Killed your first Biobot! 13%
- It's Time Obtain the Kinetic Hammer 12%
- One Last Job Finish Final Transmission 11%
- Mugshot Take a photo using photo mode 11%
- The Protocol is About Life Beat the game on Maximum Security difficulty 7.0%
- Grim Reaper Harvest and read all implant bios 6.2%
- I am the Danger Dismember 100 limbs in Riot Mode 5.3%
- Armed to the Teeth Purchase all weapons and upgrades 5.1%
- Instigator Complete Riot Mode for the first time 4.7%
- This Isn't About Escape Locate the Escape Pod 4.4%
- Parole Denied Finish New Game Plus Mode 4.0%
- Information Overload Find all 8 Protocol Data Drives 3.9%
- Big Spender Spend 20,000 Credits 3.4%
- Recidivist Finish Game in Hardcore Mode 3.0%
- Quick Pick Solve any Security Lock System in less than 7 seconds 2.9%
- Hoard Mode Survive five consecutive waves without spending any Credits 2.9%
- Don't Let It Mellow Destroy all Hammer Crates on the Factory Floor 2.5%
- Bear Trap Kill a Two-Head with a Hazard 2.2%
- Subject Alpha Use the Power-up 10 times 2.2%
- Big Game Hunter Complete Wave 50 1.8%
- Lifer Finish Game in Hardcore Mode NG+ 1.5%
- Glutton for Punishment Finish Game in Contagion Mode 1.3%
- You Belong Here Finish Game in Contagion Mode Without Dying 1.2%