'Callisto Protocol' Will Sell Extra Death Animations For Its Season Pass

Gamers were left baffled after learning that "Callisto Protocol," a linear, story-driven, singleplayer experience, will feature premium character death animations tucked behind a paywall.

Users found that "Callisto Protocol's" Steam page featured a Season Pass section that listed 13 new unique deaths for its protagonist Jacob, IGN reported. This comes as part of the Contagion Bundle, which also contains a separate difficulty option that threatens players with a tougher survival experience.

The Season Pass also includes 12 more death animations for the infected enemies found across the Black Iron Prison as part of the Riot Bundle. Like the package above, this also comes with a different game mode that won't be available to players who purchase the base form of the game.

People quickly called the move out as another questionable monetization effort from a big video game title. But developer Striking Distance Studios clarified that the base version of "Callisto Protocol" would be a complete package with no cut corners.

"We're not holding anything back from the main game for the season pass," company CEO Glenn Schofield said. "Fans asked for even more deaths, so we're making it a priority next year."

The "Dead Space" series was notorious for the gruesome death scenes that its main hero, Isaac Clarke, could suffer at the eviscerated hands of Necromorphs, and "Callisto Protocol" seems to be trying to recapture that same horror granted how much of Striking Distance Studios' team is composed of ex-Visceral devs.

Such scenes also made up a portion of the game's marketing efforts. Many of its trailers featured some of the unfortunate ends that Jacob can experience, and the deaths further drive just how much of a threat "Callisto Protocol's" mutated enemies can really be.

The game also features more brutal close-quarters fighting compared to the "Dead Space" series, with Jacob unable to swap between ranged and melee combat. He can avoid incoming attacks and immediately counter with blows of his own before following up with pistol shots and other moves.

"Callisto Protocol" launches worldwide for PC, Xbox and PlayStation consoles on Dec. 2.