• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Rant about Remedy's Control

RCU005

Member
I am playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points? I am in Chapter 5 or 6 SPOILERS: Where you rescue your brother in Pinopticon and I don't have anything to improve. I am only in the second tier. You don't get enough points!! I'm not sure but I think I'm at least halfway through the game and I still can't even get half the abilities? IT SUCKS!

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities. I feel so underpowered (and it seems like the game WANTS YOU to be like that, I feel like I'm barely surviving every encounter only to have to fight it again. It also doesn't help that everything kills you in one or two hits. THIS GAME REALLY NEEDS HEALTH THAT RECOVERS ON ITS OWN. I also know there is an ability which recovers your health while pulling the shield, but it's the last one! At this pace, you'd have to finish the game TWICE to get it!

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability. It's a waste. It feels like how developers crippled Gravity Rush 2 with so many missions where they restrict of your abilities and lose the fun. This game should've made you fly since the beginning.

The game is enjoyable, but it doesn't need to be as hard as it is. The worst part is that it's not hard because of design, but because of lack of good design. Like they should have let you improve your abilities faster, or being able to use more powers before the energy bar runs out.

I suspect that when you get everything upgraded and every ability the game will be very fun, but what for? Just to play the final boss? To play New game plus?

Rant over! What did you think about the gameplay? Did you have the same issues or others?
 
Last edited:
I gotta agree with basically all of that, and also the graphics aren't really that great. I get it is a last gen game but I'm not sure where the praise is coming from. The character animations, especially the faces, are extremely stiff and late PS3/early PS4 level, and the environments are just a bunch of flat hallways and rectangular rooms full of dozens of the same object. Some designs are cool but overall it is just very unappealing.

edit: and I say this as someone who actually likes brutalist architecture.
 
Last edited:
I m playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points?

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities.

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability.

Three of your four gripes don't make sense to me, honestly.

1.) There are character upgrades and personal mods that address this directly. You can upgrade total energy, energy regen, and energy refund per specific weapons or abilities usage, as well as lower cost of abilities depending on your build. There are also ability upgrades that allow energy regen while shield and launch are active.

You aren't meant to be blasting enemies with launch nonstop. I could easily use multiple powers, empty a clip of shatter, and my bar is full again, repeat powers until shatter reloads, repeat. etc.

2.) You get ability points by completing main missions, side missions, and finding hidden areas. Use a guide to find hidden areas if you are having trouble on your own, they are pretty straightforward once you get levitate.

3.) You can upgrade your abilities, both with character upgrades and personal mods

4.) You get levitate during the 7th story mission, I believe. It probably is a little late but doesn't ruin the first half of the game, IMO. Especially if you plan on playing the expansions (The Foundation kinda sucks but AWE is awesome). Overall I agree with you here, though. They wait too long to give you levitate.

So, honestly, it is kinda hard for me to see where you are coming from.

As for my personal thoughts:

I beat the game on PC when it came out, and last week I plat'd it and 100 percented all the expansion trophies on PS5. I love it. It's not perfect, of course, and has some minor annoyances that pop up somewhat frequently, but I just really dig the total package.

Once you get a solid loop going of counter measures, missions, exploration, alert missions, which should all leave you with plenty of currencies required to upgrade weapons and abilities, it's a breeze.
 
Last edited:
I honestly though it was pretty mediocre. Control, animation and feel wise, the game seems like a first person shooter they suddenly slapped a third person character and perspective on. She is so detached from the world, and it brought me right out of the game. Plus that reticle constantly being on the screen for no reason is ugly as hell.
 
I am playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points? I am in Chapter 5 or 6 SPOILERS: Where you rescue your brother in Pinopticon and I don't have anything to improve. I am only in the second tier. You don't get enough points!! I'm not sure but I think I'm at least halfway through the game and I still can't even get half the abilities? IT SUCKS!

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities. I feel so underpowered (and it seems like the game WANTS YOU to be like that, I feel like I'm barely surviving every encounter only to have to fight it again. It also doesn't help that everything kills you in one or two hits. THIS GAME REALLY NEEDS HEALTH THAT RECOVERS ON ITS OWN. I also know there is an ability which recovers your health while pulling the shield, but it's the last one! At this pace, you'd have to finish the game TWICE to get it!

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability. It's a waste. It feels like how developers crippled Gravity Rush 2 with so many missions where they restrict of your abilities and lose the fun. This game should've made you fly since the beginning.

The game is enjoyable, but it doesn't need to be as hard as it is. The worst part is that it's not hard because of design, but because of lack of good design. Like they should have let you improve your abilities faster, or being able to use more powers before the energy bar runs out.

I suspect that when you get everything upgraded and every ability the game will be very fun, but what for? Just to play the final boss? To play New game plus?

Rant over! What did you think about the gameplay? Did you have the same issues or others?
I kinda agree - but I think the main problem is just the story and the map are incredibly boring to me.
 

Alebrije

Member
I gotta agree with basically all of that, and also the graphics aren't really that great. I get it is a last gen game but I'm not sure where the praise is coming from. The character animations, especially the faces, are extremely stiff and late PS3/early PS4 level, and the environments are just a bunch of flat hallways and rectangular rooms full of dozens of the same object. Some designs are cool but overall it is just very unappealing.
Agree the game feels so "square" maybe its the brutal design or the hiss only can form square patters..
It seems thier goal is to make you feel inside a cold empty square box but the lack of good enviroment spoils anything , the forniture seems like a copy paste exercise , so basic and repetitive.
 
I feel like no one is reading the counters I posted to three of his four points. I am biased, of course, but I feel like I pretty soundly squash his first three gripes.

If you agree with his OP, can you at least read my response and tell me if you still feel that the energy bar and upgrades are an issue (I provide clear examples of why the energy bar isn't an issue and how upgrades work)?
 

RCU005

Member
Three of your four gripes don't make sense to me, honestly.

1.) There are character upgrades and personal mods that address this directly. You can upgrade total energy, energy regen, and energy refund per specific weapons or abilities usage, as well as lower cost of abilities depending on your build. There are also ability upgrades that allow energy regen while shield and launch are active.

You aren't meant to be blasting enemies with launch nonstop. I could easily use multiple powers, empty a clip of shatter, and my bar is full again, repeat powers until shatter reloads, repeat. etc.

2.) You get ability points by completing main missions, side missions, and finding hidden areas. Use a guide to find hidden areas if you are having trouble on your own, they are pretty straightforward once you get levitate.

3.) You can upgrade your abilities, both with character upgrades and personal mods

4.) You get levitate during the 7th story mission, I believe. It probably is a little late but doesn't ruin the first half of the game, IMO. Especially if you plan on playing the expansions (The Foundation kinda sucks but AWE is awesome). Overall I agree with you here, though. They wait too long to give you levitate.

So, honestly, it is kinda hard for me to see where you are coming from.

As for my personal thoughts:

I beat the game on PC when it came out, and last week I plat'd it and 100 percented all the expansion trophies on PS5. I love it. It's not perfect, of course, and has some minor annoyances that pop up somewhat frequently, but I just really dig the total package.

Once you get a solid loop going of counter measures, missions, exploration, alert missions, which should all leave you with plenty of currencies required to upgrade weapons and abilities, it's a breeze.
1. Yes, I do try to use mods and character upgrades to alleviate my issues with the energy bar. I try to use many tactics to go through encounters, but sometimes it's just hard. It also doesn't help that the game takes 10% of your "money" (don't remember name. So, if you suck you get punished and being good you can upgrade faster making it easier, so it's a weird decision there.

2. I know, but the ability points come by few and far between. I try to explore a lot, but there are places where you can't just go until certain point in the story. So the game doesn't let you upgrade further if you have a hard time.

4. I figured. It's too bad. The game is fun and I can imagine having levitate will make it better, but it's definitely too late. I don't know if the story could lead to a sequel, or even if there will be in that case, but it seems like there's a lot to improve and make a better game. I do intend to play the DLC, too.

Thanks for your points. I do feel like I suck in this game, but I enjoy it. I haven't cared much about the story because it's weird and hasn't hooked me much, but I definitely like the gameplay, overall. I do get why many people love it, but I would've loved it if it had mechanics to make it a little bit easier or convenient for more casual people like me. After all, you'll never see me playing Souls series for that reason, even though I know they are great and I know I'd love them. I just don't have the time and patience anymore for games that require too much concentration, time or patience anymore.
 

RCU005

Member
The main issue with Control is how "gamey" it is and how you need to sort through 1000 useless upgrades and mods that should have never existed.

Exactly. I would've preferred a more seamless experience like Uncharted or games like that. The game doesn't need to have so much going on in the menu as if it were an RPG.
 

RCU005

Member
OP is correct, game is boring and the checkpoints are bad.

The bad thing about the checkpoints is that enemies respawn (sometimes even more difficult that there were the first time before you died). I wouldn't care to get taken back so much, but having to kill enemies over and over again, it's what make them very bad.
 

Kuranghi

Member
I just started my second run on the PS5 version, I'm about 60 mins in and I upgraded Launch twice I think and now it one shots any normal enemy without a shield, and I can kill them in 3-4 shots to the chest without that. It sounds like you would've already done all that though.

In the PC version I just stacked +energy mods and then +energy regen speed mods after I had lots of energy near the end of the game, I could Launch probably 7-8 times without having to recharge and the recharge took maybe 3-4 seconds. I set the weapon mods to be for whatever gun I was using at the time, so if it was spin then stack fire rate and percentage ammo refund on hit, if you do side missions you will get unique mods as well which can really help.

You are probably at a point in the story (You need access to the very top Power Plant room) where you can fully complete the secret furnace side quest, I won't post here in case you don't want spoilers but if you do then look up "TV furnace side quest". Do that and you'll get a mod that gives you infinite ammo with the starting weapon form as long as you hit the enemy. So you will have 100% refund ammo on hit, if you miss a round will be spent.

That might help you out a bit when you are waiting for energy to recharge.

I don't know if you get XP for the collectibles/notes, so maybe try picking them up even if you don't care about reading them.
 

Pedro Motta

Member
I am playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points? I am in Chapter 5 or 6 SPOILERS: Where you rescue your brother in Pinopticon and I don't have anything to improve. I am only in the second tier. You don't get enough points!! I'm not sure but I think I'm at least halfway through the game and I still can't even get half the abilities? IT SUCKS!

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities. I feel so underpowered (and it seems like the game WANTS YOU to be like that, I feel like I'm barely surviving every encounter only to have to fight it again. It also doesn't help that everything kills you in one or two hits. THIS GAME REALLY NEEDS HEALTH THAT RECOVERS ON ITS OWN. I also know there is an ability which recovers your health while pulling the shield, but it's the last one! At this pace, you'd have to finish the game TWICE to get it!

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability. It's a waste. It feels like how developers crippled Gravity Rush 2 with so many missions where they restrict of your abilities and lose the fun. This game should've made you fly since the beginning.

The game is enjoyable, but it doesn't need to be as hard as it is. The worst part is that it's not hard because of design, but because of lack of good design. Like they should have let you improve your abilities faster, or being able to use more powers before the energy bar runs out.

I suspect that when you get everything upgraded and every ability the game will be very fun, but what for? Just to play the final boss? To play New game plus?

Rant over! What did you think about the gameplay? Did you have the same issues or others?
Wow, you suck at games. Tough shit.
 

Gamerguy84

Member
Eh couldn't get into it either and tried it twice. Once when PSNOW gave it out and now PSPLUS.

I've heard the rave about it being extremely technical and that's be true but the look of it doesn't do anything for me.

Oh well it was free.
 
This game had an amazing concept that it proceeded to not utilize at all. The first time the House shifts on you when you go past the janitor and realize you're back where you started is what the entire game should have been like, but it turned into a standard corridor shooter instead
 

kyliethicc

Member
I am playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points? I am in Chapter 5 or 6 SPOILERS: Where you rescue your brother in Pinopticon and I don't have anything to improve. I am only in the second tier. You don't get enough points!! I'm not sure but I think I'm at least halfway through the game and I still can't even get half the abilities? IT SUCKS!

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities. I feel so underpowered (and it seems like the game WANTS YOU to be like that, I feel like I'm barely surviving every encounter only to have to fight it again. It also doesn't help that everything kills you in one or two hits. THIS GAME REALLY NEEDS HEALTH THAT RECOVERS ON ITS OWN. I also know there is an ability which recovers your health while pulling the shield, but it's the last one! At this pace, you'd have to finish the game TWICE to get it!

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability. It's a waste. It feels like how developers crippled Gravity Rush 2 with so many missions where they restrict of your abilities and lose the fun. This game should've made you fly since the beginning.

The game is enjoyable, but it doesn't need to be as hard as it is. The worst part is that it's not hard because of design, but because of lack of good design. Like they should have let you improve your abilities faster, or being able to use more powers before the energy bar runs out.

I suspect that when you get everything upgraded and every ability the game will be very fun, but what for? Just to play the final boss? To play New game plus?

Rant over! What did you think about the gameplay? Did you have the same issues or others?
The gameplay is designed so you are constantly using up your energy and then ammo and then energy and then ammo, so each one can recharge while you use the other one.

So like shoot until the ammo meter depletes, then start throwing stuff at enemies as your ammo recharges, switch back to shooting, and so on. Shoot, move, throw, move, shoot, melee, repeat.

As for health, the enemies drop health so you have to kill more to heal. I like that mechanic. Encourages agression.
 
Last edited:

Bryank75

Banned
I liked everything except the checkpoints system.... it only hit me near the end of the game though, where there is a big platforming part and you can easily fall to your death. I sucked at that part.

Rest I thought was great, wish there were more powers and that Jesse's face was modeled a bit more accurately but apart from those niggles I really enjoyed the game. Playing through again now.
 

kiphalfton

Member
I honestly though it was pretty mediocre. Control, animation and feel wise, the game seems like a first person shooter they suddenly slapped a third person character and perspective on. She is so detached from the world, and it brought me right out of the game. Plus that reticle constantly being on the screen for no reason is ugly as hell.

I got that feeling too. Maybe it's because it looks like she's running on ice (yes I said this in another thread, BUT I hate when games make it look like there is zero friction between the characters feet and the ground).
 

JSoup

Banned
I enjoyed the hell out of Control, but the two major issues I had were mod density and frequency. I'm passing through a room I've cleared for the fourth time, here come the danger bongos. Then 10 annoying things spawn. Clear them, move to staircase, Babaloo kicks in, here we fucking go again.
 
I am playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points? I am in Chapter 5 or 6 SPOILERS: Where you rescue your brother in Pinopticon and I don't have anything to improve. I am only in the second tier. You don't get enough points!! I'm not sure but I think I'm at least halfway through the game and I still can't even get half the abilities? IT SUCKS!

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities. I feel so underpowered (and it seems like the game WANTS YOU to be like that, I feel like I'm barely surviving every encounter only to have to fight it again. It also doesn't help that everything kills you in one or two hits. THIS GAME REALLY NEEDS HEALTH THAT RECOVERS ON ITS OWN. I also know there is an ability which recovers your health while pulling the shield, but it's the last one! At this pace, you'd have to finish the game TWICE to get it!

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability. It's a waste. It feels like how developers crippled Gravity Rush 2 with so many missions where they restrict of your abilities and lose the fun. This game should've made you fly since the beginning.

The game is enjoyable, but it doesn't need to be as hard as it is. The worst part is that it's not hard because of design, but because of lack of good design. Like they should have let you improve your abilities faster, or being able to use more powers before the energy bar runs out.

I suspect that when you get everything upgraded and every ability the game will be very fun, but what for? Just to play the final boss? To play New game plus?

Rant over! What did you think about the gameplay? Did you have the same issues or others?

OP you need to do board countermeasures and accept those random missions. When I was on the panopticon mission I was at tier 4 for energy, health and maxed out lauch damage. Plus I had upgraded shield and some other stuff.

You get the ability to levitate in chapter 6. It's fun but not that super important IMO. I think shield is much more useful ability.

Some of the stuff you are complaining about can be addressed by mods. Mods are super important in this game. Mods are also random drops. So you need to do stuff that drop guaranteed mods and by extension open up mod slots. That is why I always have a full slate of board countermeasures and do those random missions because they give you xp and reward you with mods and mats you will need.
 
I’m playing through it right now and I see where you’re coming from. I’m well used to all kinds of game shenanigans but basically 2-shot kill on myself throughout the game so far is quite interesting. You get hit once and you’re on your death bed. I decided to go all broke on telekinesis, it’s only fun combat thing in the game.

Now, I wouldn’t mind restarting at cleanse points after death, it’s old-school checkpoint design, if loading times aren’t so atrocious. My god. And game hard crashed 5 times so far plus complete breakdown that happens when you pause a game and then continue, game just freezes for a few seconds. PS4 also wants to explode at certain points in the game.

BUT, I could tolerate all that, game is actually decent enough overall but as I progress, story is starting to wear me off, it’s making my head hurt with all this nonsense and bullshit, good god. Like, it is so weird and you just want them to stop.

Jessie’s face is....let’s just say not good. Seriously, make your characters more attractive, IDC female or male but if his/her face is gonna be on the screen every so often, gotta look better than that. Please.
 
Last edited:
I got that feeling too. Maybe it's because it looks like she's running on ice (yes I said this in another thread, BUT I hate when games make it look like there is zero friction between the characters feet and the ground).
Yeah, it's pretty awful. I've always used the terms "ice skating" and "camera on wheels"(they're old terms), and it's a problem in a ton of games. Another issue is the size of the character and the objects in the background. Sometimes she looks gigantic because she doesn't match with the objects around her.
 

Bo_Hazem

Banned
I am playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points? I am in Chapter 5 or 6 SPOILERS: Where you rescue your brother in Pinopticon and I don't have anything to improve. I am only in the second tier. You don't get enough points!! I'm not sure but I think I'm at least halfway through the game and I still can't even get half the abilities? IT SUCKS!

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities. I feel so underpowered (and it seems like the game WANTS YOU to be like that, I feel like I'm barely surviving every encounter only to have to fight it again. It also doesn't help that everything kills you in one or two hits. THIS GAME REALLY NEEDS HEALTH THAT RECOVERS ON ITS OWN. I also know there is an ability which recovers your health while pulling the shield, but it's the last one! At this pace, you'd have to finish the game TWICE to get it!

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability. It's a waste. It feels like how developers crippled Gravity Rush 2 with so many missions where they restrict of your abilities and lose the fun. This game should've made you fly since the beginning.

The game is enjoyable, but it doesn't need to be as hard as it is. The worst part is that it's not hard because of design, but because of lack of good design. Like they should have let you improve your abilities faster, or being able to use more powers before the energy bar runs out.

I suspect that when you get everything upgraded and every ability the game will be very fun, but what for? Just to play the final boss? To play New game plus?

Rant over! What did you think about the gameplay? Did you have the same issues or others?

576E6364D09F92E98A2CDA8D7138FCF8429928BA
 

Goro Majima

Kitty Genovese Member
Getting headshots with mouse aiming on PC with the pistol is pretty great. I’m not as good at aiming with a controller so I think the game would have been way harder on a console until a certain point.

Eventually launch became my primary damage dealer and had a super fast recharge so shooting felt a bit less important.

I do agree that the difficulty curve was kinda weird with it spiking in the middle and again toward the very, very end there’s a mission where you go from platform to platform to align some satellite dish looking things and fight off some regular baddies.
 

Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
I feel like no one is reading the counters I posted to three of his four points. I am biased, of course, but I feel like I pretty soundly squash his first three gripes.

If you agree with his OP, can you at least read my response and tell me if you still feel that the energy bar and upgrades are an issue (I provide clear examples of why the energy bar isn't an issue and how upgrades work)?
You are completely right.

To me his "rant" feels more like a rushed out opinion of someone who doesn't understand the game at all.

Not even the basic features. It also provides alot of tutorials to make the core gameplay loop even more obvious.
 
Last edited:

HAL-01

Member
Sounds like you’re just having a bad time with the mechanics. The progression felt great and by the time I was 2/3s into the game my launch ability felt way overpowered.
My only criticism would be it takes way too long to get and upgrade your other weapons, I barely touched the other forms as my fully upgraded pistol did the job just fine
 

Orpheum

Member
The problems i had:

Checkpoints -> these are indeed crap
Upgrade usefulness -> Increase Health, Energy and telekinetic abilitiy power, the rest is redundant. They could have tied it to a XP system (gained through COMBAT) which increases those traits automatically and instead made some more weapon upgrades possible with it.
Map navigation -> terrible. Sometimes i was running around like a headless chicken trying to figure out where to go

Aside from that i really liked the game. I'm currently playing the expansions
 
Last edited:

Kenneth Haight

Gold Member
Bought the ultimate edition a few months back but was waiting on PS5 version which then was free on PS Plus. Ah well it was only £15 and am more than happy to support although the publishers shady moves I did not like. The game is great so far. Only a few hours in and have only died twice, I think you are just not great at the game. It’s about ammo conservation, movement and energy conservation so mixing these up in a nice gameplay loop. I’m really enjoying my time so far.
 

Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
The only 2 problems imo:

-Limited upgrade slots in inventory, so you constantly need to actively discard/throw away 90% of the upgrades you pick up, or you wont be able to pick up new ones.
-The map, it sucks. They shouldve gone with one more similar to Metroid Prime.
The map is indeed tricky to navigate.
 
I honestly though it was pretty mediocre. Control, animation and feel wise, the game seems like a first person shooter they suddenly slapped a third person character and perspective on. She is so detached from the world, and it brought me right out of the game. Plus that reticle constantly being on the screen for no reason is ugly as hell.

This! A hunderd times this! I played the game a few hours and the experience was jarring. You said it best: the character feels detached from the world and it breaks the immersion immediately. It's very weird. I played it immediately after Resident Evil 3 and the difference was staggering. Control felt like a PS2 game. And playing it on PS5 sucks. The controller vibrates all the time when you move, the shooting feels like a chore. It might be like this every shooter on PS5, I dunno, but I didn't like it.

Also, the whole gimmick of the game world feels very forced. It doesn't feel inspired. I say this as a person who enjoyed Alan Wake. But something happened to Remed after that and Quantum Break and Control have felt very subpar to me.
 
I am playing Control because it's free on PS Plus. I have been enjoying it so far, but I got some issues with this game:

1) The Energy Bar
This thing SUCKS!! It doesn't let you do more than 3 (THREE) things before it's out and it takes very long to recharge, also you have to wait until it recharges like 80% to keep using it. I wouldn't mind the wait, if at least you had more of it.

2) The Upgrade System (Abilities)
Also SUCK! You would say: "Dude you need to upgrade your abilities to increase the energy bar". Well, how the hell do you get ability points? I am in Chapter 5 or 6 SPOILERS: Where you rescue your brother in Pinopticon and I don't have anything to improve. I am only in the second tier. You don't get enough points!! I'm not sure but I think I'm at least halfway through the game and I still can't even get half the abilities? IT SUCKS!

3) Checkpoints:
Why? Why do I need to fight hordes of enemies just to get to where I was? It would be fun if I could at least upgrade my abilities. I feel so underpowered (and it seems like the game WANTS YOU to be like that, I feel like I'm barely surviving every encounter only to have to fight it again. It also doesn't help that everything kills you in one or two hits. THIS GAME REALLY NEEDS HEALTH THAT RECOVERS ON ITS OWN. I also know there is an ability which recovers your health while pulling the shield, but it's the last one! At this pace, you'd have to finish the game TWICE to get it!

4) From the trailers I know that you are supposed to get a "fly"ability. Do you get this ability until last chapter? If I am indeed halfway or more through the game, then I feel it's too late to get this ability. It's a waste. It feels like how developers crippled Gravity Rush 2 with so many missions where they restrict of your abilities and lose the fun. This game should've made you fly since the beginning.

The game is enjoyable, but it doesn't need to be as hard as it is. The worst part is that it's not hard because of design, but because of lack of good design. Like they should have let you improve your abilities faster, or being able to use more powers before the energy bar runs out.

I suspect that when you get everything upgraded and every ability the game will be very fun, but what for? Just to play the final boss? To play New game plus?

Rant over! What did you think about the gameplay? Did you have the same issues or others?
Did you know that the game now has expanded accessibility options?

You can adjust a few different things, like for example how much damage Jesse takes. It can make the game an absolute breeze to play through, if that helps.
 
Last edited:

engstra

Member
The only 2 problems imo:

-Limited upgrade slots in inventory, so you constantly need to actively discard/throw away 90% of the upgrades you pick up, or you wont be able to pick up new ones.
-The map, it sucks. They shouldve gone with one more similar to Metroid Prime.
The map is only gripe I have with the game. Is there seriously no way of viewing the different levels of a sector than this weird overlay?
 

ACESHIGH

Banned
Yep, been playing it on gamepass PC and it's a step down from quantum break. The story is not interesting at all, the map is terrible. Hate the metroidvania aspect and the office building is such a boring place to set up the game.

And fighting hordes and hordes of the same enemies every 3 rooms I feel like I am playing a jrpg.

Hit detection and feedback is terrible as well. They should have spent more time designing a good game rather than ensuring toilet ray traced reflections look good.
 
Top Bottom