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Rant about Remedy's Control

AmateurPong

Member
Been playing on Series X and enjoying it so far, but damn what is up with all the crashes. Game was solid for the first 5-6 hours, now it seems to crash hourly.

At least it looks like a patch is on the way

 

SJRB

Gold Member
Game has some issues for sure, not in the least some insane difficulty spikes at certain moments.

This was resolved when Remedy added an extensive selection of difficulty options you can customize at your own leasure, including health/power bar regeneration, enemy health, reload speed.

Made the game infinitely more enjoyable for me because I could just enjoy the ride like I wanted to.
 
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Dick Jones

Gold Member
Two things
1) put your points into launch as it's fucking op. Once I had that down Jesse kicked ass.
2) the options section allows you to cheat the game with infinite health and other things and I heard it doesn't affect trophies/achievements (open to correction)
 

ethomaz

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?
I’m really not understanding these issues...

You can upgrade the energy bar, increase the regen, use mods that increase or recover, use weapons that give energy back, use low energy cost abilities, etc.
I mean you can kill a room of enemies with use half of your energy bar.

Store missions, side missions and hidden spots tive you points lol

Checkpoints...

You will fly when you progress in the story.


I mean the game is far from perfect (for example the Map is really bad) but what you listed are non issues... maybe I'm a old guy that like to play games.
 
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Fbh

Member
I enjoyed the game but found it overall underwhelming.

The Metroidvania inspiration didn't work, the backtracking wasn't too fun, the map is terrible and 99% of what you get for going back to earlier areas and exploring is boring passive weapon upgrades or yet another one of those documents describing some random event, which got old after you've already read like 50+ of them.

The Story is also all style and no substance. It's just weird for the sake of being weird but never comes together into something compelling (at least IMO).

Willl still check out the DLC at some point though. The combat at least is really fun, as it usually is with Remedy games.
 
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Rippa

Member
Yeah I’m not feeling this game at all.

Cutscenes are terrible. Just closeups of characters, I mean who thought that was a good idea? Lip sync seems terrible so it’s a bit jarring to look at. I get that the story is supposed to be some mysterious jargon but the game is not helping me stay engaged.

And what the actual F is with that jumping animation? I mean it’s serviceable but it feels like zero effort went in to creating it.

I’m at the point where I just want it to be over so I can delete it. I just got the mind control ability, so I guess I’m still pretty early on.

Im so glad I didn’t waste my monies on this or fall for all the “hype” when it released. PS plus is a godsend. Thanks for actually saving me monies.
 

Thirty7ven

Banned
From the story to the upgrade system to the level design, the game is just throwing a bunch of shit at the wall withou being particularly good at anything aside from destruction. Which is why some people love it I guess, they love power set and the destruction.

It’s not a great game, very overrated.
 

Kagoshima_Luke

Gold Member
My issue with Control is that the story is so pretentious, yet the game is more or less a bog-standard 3rd-person corridor shooter.

*spend 10 minutes in dialogue, unwrapping an epic mystery that challenges the perception of reality itself*

*a few minutes later in the next room: bang bang bang, pew pew! Explosive barrel boom boom! Weeeeeeee!*
 

Bridges

Member
I'm a little bit farther than what you're describing and I feel like I'm playing a different game.

To me it's been what Quantum Break should've been, the powers are awesome (especially once you get flight) and as someone else mentioned once you upgrade launch a couple times you're taking out enemies super easily.

The only thing I'll agree with is that the health situation is a little rough but all that means is you've just gotta play better. Use your shield, always be evading (ABE) and seize where you can. I'm having a blast, haven't had this much fun with a Remedy title since the first Alan Wake
 

iorek21

Member
My two biggest issues with this game is story and weapon limitation.

Didn't really like the way the story was told, nor the over-reliance on optional documents for lore.

As for weapons, being able to only select 2 is an unnecessary limitation; the shared ammo already cucks you most of the time, if only we could choose more weapons during combat, the flow would be much, much better.
 

retsof624

Member
Been playing on Series X and enjoying it so far, but damn what is up with all the crashes. Game was solid for the first 5-6 hours, now it seems to crash hourly.

At least it looks like a patch is on the way


This game has given me the most crashes I've had on the Series X so far. Far more than even Cyberpunk. Whenever this game crashes, the power light on the console turns off and blinks back on. The only game that crashes like that.
 

NullZ3r0

Banned
The whole game is basically getting enough ability points to play the Music Box.

If you think the normal game is frustrating...

That's Remedy games in a nutshell. Alan Wake is similar. You're running around looking for ways to keep your flashlight from running out.
 

Termite

Member
I'm at the exact same point as the OP (Panopticon mission) and I must say I'm enjoying it. It's good but not great.

There's very much a case of style over substance here, with astonishing visual style (love that brutalist architecture) and physics effects wrapped around and pretty bog-standard but servicable 3rd person shooter.

But I like the old-school nature of it. If you die, go back to a checkpoint. You quickly learn to take enemies seriously because losing progress is a pain in the ass. I like that.

There's no glowing trail or mission arrow, so you can get lost. Again, I like this. I got lost multiple times before I learned to slow down and read the fucking signs. Felt like I was playing a PS2 era game that didn't hold your hand so much. I like it. That said, if you're going to include a map make it readable. The map is terrible.

As for the powers and shooting, there's an obvious rhythm the game wants you to get in between using powers then using the gun while your energy recharges. It works for me. Only problem is that I loaded all my ability points into launch and feel ridiculously overpowered - especially with energy recharge mods.

I could do without those mods, btw. They're just there to give you something to collect. And the ability tree is shockingly boring - no one ever got excited by unlocking +10% to health.

I have a strong suspicion the story will be the kind of bullshit that delights in creating mysteries without any intention of explaining any of them, but for now I'm enjoying it. As far as free games on PS+ go, this is one of the best ones I've played.
 

Bridges

Member
This game has given me the most crashes I've had on the Series X so far. Far more than even Cyberpunk. Whenever this game crashes, the power light on the console turns off and blinks back on. The only game that crashes like that.
My only real complaint. Wasteland 3 is the only game I've seen that's crashed more often. It's inconsistent but it seems like the crashes tend to occur when I open the map or the upgrades menu
 

Life

Member
Dull/samey environments. Shoot + cover/ cover + shoot gameplay loop. Uninteresting characters/story.
 

rofif

Can’t Git Gud
The whole game is basically getting enough ability points to play the Music Box.

If you think the normal game is frustrating...

That's Remedy games in a nutshell. Alan Wake is similar. You're running around looking for ways to keep your flashlight from running out.
Alan Wake is so much better though. You collect batteries just like if it was ammo.
 

RPSleon

Member
The energy thing isnt an issue because you have your weapon too. Balancing all of it is part of the game. Shoot, throw, dodge, shoot, melee. But where i am in the game currently i can throw about 5 times before having to get the gun out.

I love it. Exactly what i want from a game. The exploration is great too. Going back to areas and finding secrets once you have levitate is great.
 

SJRB

Gold Member
Dull/samey environments.

I cannot sanction this buffoonery.

1YswWb4.jpg


YxtM0n3.jpg


Jesse_levitating_tunnel-1300x731.jpg


control-ray-traced-geforce-rtx-screenshot-001.jpg


different_things-1300x731.jpg


8aqoandw82l31.png


masao-ogino-ashtray-maze-final-03.jpg
 
Here's my rant
I have the gsmepass version and it wants like 30 dollars from me to get the ultimate version so I can play it the way it's meant to be played on my series x.
I say fuck that not a single game has done this greedy bs on xbox except maybe call of duty
 

GrayFoxPL

Member
I never had a chance to play Remedy's games post Max Payne series which I loved. Now I tried Control from ps+.

The aiming and shooting still feels very similar to MP. I suspect every Remedy game has the same foundations.

The SF powers and story, it's ok I guess. Nicely written and presented, but it's not grabbing my attention. I don't care about these characters. The documents scattered around are well written but there are so many that I started to not bother picking them up.

What's funny is I feel this is almost arcadey run 'n gun shooter at it's core. Everything is super fast, shooting, dashing, even the powers are instantaneous. Pop-pop, cannon fodder here, levitation guy there, run around pillars, throw everything at everyone, grab health crystals, oh guys with shields, moving kamikaze mines and a brute comes in. Simple gameplay loop. Not that it's bad I just thought with all the praise and "critic noise", that this is something more.
Even the point cleansing or whatever is just "You killed everything in an arena, here's a checkpoint."

Max Payne had even simpler gameplay obviously but I cared about what was happening. The setting, characters, story, feeling of being "there". I felt attached. Here, nothing.

It's a very solid game no doubt but I'm kinda glad I didn't buy it "normally".
 
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I actually think the game is alright but I agree with OPs points.

Also, I will add that Im already tired of "The Oldest House". I feel like I've seen all the tricks and now the environments just boil down to office/quarry/industrial. Also, this story fucking sucks. I am so tired of writers thinking they are so clever by leaving their audience almost completely in the dark only to finally reveal what the fuck is actually happening at the end. Its not clever, its tiresome and annoying.

Also, whoever came up with the idea of giving the entire context of the game through readable dodads you need to pick up needs to be fired. Its such a shitty/lazy way of adding context to the story. People who say "well if you read all the pick ups you would know whats going on!!!" can lick my balls.
 

PooBone

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?
You know, the game has side missions that give you upgrade points? If you skipped all side content, I'm sure the game is harder and less fun.

Good game though. Love Remedy, but their publisher 505 fucked up their next-gen upgrade path something awful.
 

saintjules

Member
Been playing on Series X and enjoying it so far, but damn what is up with all the crashes. Game was solid for the first 5-6 hours, now it seems to crash hourly.

At least it looks like a patch is on the way



Yeah it seems the Ultimate Edition (Series X) has been crashing whenever I would try to access the game menu mid-movement. Just crashes. Didn't happen on the regular edition though.
 

Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
Didn't really like the way the story was told, nor the over-reliance on optional documents for lore.
The amount of optional documents, audiologs and other narrative driven extensions can be exhausting.

But their well written and add so much to the story that it is, in my eyes, essential to read them.

Also, whoever came up with the idea of giving the entire context of the game through readable dodads you need to pick up needs to be fired. Its such a shitty/lazy way of adding context to the story. People who say "well if you read all the pick ups you would know whats going on!!!" can lick my balls.
It is a lot to read and can slow down your progress.

But, it is not "shitty" since their well presented neither are they "lazy" since a crazy amount of work went into them.

One could argue that you are lazy for not even honoring the developer by reading half of it.
 

RCU005

Member
You know, the game has side missions that give you upgrade points? If you skipped all side content, I'm sure the game is harder and less fun.

Good game though. Love Remedy, but their publisher 505 fucked up their next-gen upgrade path something awful.

I haven’t skipped any side missions and I also have been doing the counterbalance missions, but only the ones I can. I still feel the game doesn’t let you progress much and restricts you more than it should.
 

Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
Dull/samey environments. Shoot + cover/ cover + shoot gameplay loop. Uninteresting characters/story.
That is a misconception, generalization and a superficial way to see the game.

But in the end just your personal opinion.
 

Terenty

Member
Something happened to Remedy after having released Max Payne 2. I dunno what, but some key people must have left the company or smth.

Their last three games are complete snorefests with mediocre gameplay.

I know Sam Lake is their main guy and responsible for the writing since Max Payne 1, but he seems to have lost his touch as well.

Control is so boring plot wise and the main character is such a bore with no personality its not even funny.
 

Self

Member
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.

Thank you. I suspect the 'Control looks insane' guys are just PC or Xbox only players who never experienced something like TLoU2 or GoW. The game looks okay, but nothing to brag about guys.
 

PooBone

Member
I haven’t skipped any side missions and I also have been doing the counterbalance missions, but only the ones I can. I still feel the game doesn’t let you progress much and restricts you more than it should.
Granted, I've not played the ultimate edition or whatever it's called that's free. I remember the side missions and upgrades being doled out smoothly. I was fully upgraded before the end of the game and wrecking absolutely everything.

The levitation is the last power you get, and it's not just before the final boss. If the tone and story are speaking to you, just stick with it. if not, abandon ship.
 
The amount of optional documents, audiologs and other narrative driven extensions can be exhausting.

But their well written and add so much to the story that it is, in my eyes, essential to read them.


It is a lot to read and can slow down your progress.

But, it is not "shitty" since their well presented neither are they "lazy" since a crazy amount of work went into them.

One could argue that you are lazy for not even honoring the developer by reading half of it.

Scattering around your exposition dumps in easily miss-able pick ups that completely break the flow of the game is lazy and dumb. The devs must even think so if you could completely bypass them with no consequences. If its important to the story, it should be woven into the unmissable cutscenes. Its compounded by the fact that some of them are just absolutely nothing and don't even have exposition in them, they are just there as a collectable that might as well be coins.
 

habibihijababy

Neo Member
I learned from my experience with Alan Wake and Quantum Break that I just do not jive with Remedys gameplay style, let alone stories that are complex for the sake of it.

Like all I remember in Alan Wake was wanting the damn thing to end, it was torture just to finish it. Then in quantum break I never really grasped the gameplay mechanics and I stopped playing right near the end. Haven’t played it in years but when I tried to get back into it a few months ago I had no idea how to do the combat. I guess in a way it’s helped me understand that I’m just not into their kind of games so I won’t ever touch this game!

I did enjoy playing Max Payne though.
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
Maybe it's because I played on PC w/ M&KB, but early on I found myself using my gun more than my powers to kill most enemies. There are perks you can earn that give you energy bar for performing certain actions. Just keep going. It takes time to become an absolute god in this game.
 

Con-Z-epT

Live from NeoGAF, it's Friday Night!
Scattering around your exposition dumps in easily miss-able pick ups that completely break the flow of the game is lazy and dumb. The devs must even think so if you could completely bypass them with no consequences. If its important to the story, it should be woven into the unmissable cutscenes. Its compounded by the fact that some of them are just absolutely nothing and don't even have exposition in them, they are just there as a collectable that might as well be coins.
It is not an easy piece of art to consume.

Most of it lies in front of you on your way through the game.

No consequences? :messenger_grinning_smiling:
You posted naive assumptions about the story without even enjoying all the game has to offer.

I think they just tried to lower the cost for voice acting and animation.

Sure some of the things you find are redundant.

But have you even watched all episodes of the threshold kids?

Or witnessed the outstanding performance of Matthew Porretta?

I don't think so...
 
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Moomalade74

Banned
I did not enjoy the few hours I gave this on PS5 with the free PS Plus version.
- Super pretentious initial presentation with zero plot set up.
- Crappy shooting mechanics
- Bland environments, and generally low grade 6/10 art fidelity.
- Terrible janky stiff animation, which at this point is a Remedy trademark. They really need to hire some proper animators

The above was enough for me to bail, cant be arsed with it. Maybe I'm missing out on some cool gameplay mechanics, but I'm easy.
 
It is not an easy piece of art to consume.

Most of it lies in front of you on your way through the game.

No consequences? :messenger_grinning_smiling:
You posted naive assumptions about the story without even enjoying all the game has to offer.

I think they just tried to lower the cost for voice acting and animation.

Sure some of the things you find are redundant.

But have you even watched all episodes of the threshold kids?

Or witnessed the outstanding performance of Matthew Porretta?

I don't think so...
So that’s his name. Easily best part of the game, Darling is keeping this story afloat. Great performance.
 

dyergram

Member
I thought it was ok on PS4 but I’m enjoying it way more on the ps5 60fps makes it feel great. I think it wants you to spread your skill points across all the abilities generally when I’ve hit difficult spikes I have tried different weapons or using different mods and been able to get through the sections. With regards to the levitation when you unlock it if you revisit earlier sections it will allow you to access different areas ala Metroid and by that point you are a bit of a flying telekinesis god lady so it does kind of break the combat. The ui and the map are the weakest part of the game but the story and lore are flipping awesome in this game.
 

Melubas

Member
Disagree :) Control is amazing. I agree with the guy saying the graphics weren't all that though. Admittedly I played it on a 1080ti so couldn't use raytracing.
 

sobaka770

Banned
Control is a good game, in fact I appreciate it much more considering it was a smaller project and it runs circles around a AAA game like Quantum break.
Great atmoshpere, solid shooting, intriguing story.

I guess git gud, OP? Out of your 4 points only the checkpoint system is kinda meh, but they are quite generous in my opinion making this point moot. If you wanted to say something you could talk how the map is an abomination and the story kind of fizzles out by the end of it but pretty much everything else is top notch.
 
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