Control - Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Control marks the return of Remedy Entertainment on Playstation. After a mammoth 16 year wait, the Finnish studio brings a supernatural experience to PS4 that places the emphasis on a living, breathing gun and your suite of superpowers. There's a lot to the title, so here are some tips and tricks to get you started.

Control - Basic Information

Here are some basic details about Control that should give you a better grasp of the abilities, weapons, and mechanics of the game.

Controls

Here's the default control scheme in Control.

Abilities

These are the abilities you'll have access to in Control, alongside a description of each.

• Launch - Pick up objects, enemies, and rubble in the environment and throw them at other foes during combat or at switches to solve puzzles.
• Evade - A quick dash that'll get you out of the way of gunfire.
• Shield - Generate a protective layer of rock and rubble to deflect bullets, and if upgraded, can be launched back at the enemy. You cannot shoot or use other powers during the period that Shield is active.
• Seize - Take control of a combatant's mind and turn them to your side for a limited amount of time.
• Levitate - Hover above the battlefield to survey the area or reach previously inaccessible areas. Can be upgraded to perform a ground slam.

Weapons

These are the weapons you'll have access to in Control, alongside a description of each.

• Grip - Grip is reliable, with semi-automatic fire that is deadly at short and long range.
• Shatter - Shatter has a high stopping power with a scattershot that devastates grouped enemies at close range.
• Spin - Spin has a generous magazine and high rate of fire best used in controlled bursts.
• Pierce - Pierce is precise, with a charged shot that penetrates armour and enemies at any range.
• Charge - Charge holds up to three explosive projectiles that can stagger enemies caught in their blast radius.

Control Points

Control Points are a vital part of the Control experience - giving you a place to access fast travel options, outfit changes, and upgrades.

• Fast Travel - Quickly move about the floors of the Oldest House by fast travelling between the huge number of Control Points throughout the game. You can fast travel to any Control Point you have already cleansed.
• Abilities - Upgrade your powers with ability points gained from side missions and the completion of main objectives.
• Astral Constructs - Construct and upgrade variations of the Service Weapon, along with the option to make new mods from materials collected throughout your travels.
• Board Countermeasures - Random quests that reward materials and mods. You can carry three at any time and most revolve around killing certain types of Hiss enemies.

Control - Tips and Tricks for Beginners

Here are some useful hints, tips, and tricks to help you get a grasp of Control and take an advantage into battle.

Stay on the move during combat

Without even a hint of difficulty levels, every player will have a similar experience during combat. Enemies love to rush you, get on your blindside, and be a general nuisance - not to mention the fact that some types can take to the air. As such, as you need to be on the move at all times. Control doesn't have a cover mechanic so the best way to stay out of danger is to not be in the same area that enemies are shooting at.

Utilise your Evade ability to get about the battlefield quickly and efficiently, thus conserving your health and helping to gain ground on foes. Don't forget that you can continue to move while the Shield power is activated, you just won't be able to make any offensive moves.

Equip personal mods that regain health

Every enemy you kill drops a small amount of currency, but that cash increases its relevance tenfold when you equip mods that also convert those pickups into health. You're going to find yourself low on health a lot of the time, and so combining your need to stay on the move with health regeneration is going to dramatically increase your chances of survival.

The better the mod is, the more health you'll get back so make sure to pay close attention to the enhancements you're picking up as you progress through the game. They're probably the most important mods you can get your hands on.

Utilise abilities while your gun recharges

The Service Weapon operates on a cooldown instead of a traditional reload, so firing too much could cause the gun to overheat. Make sure to conserve your ammo, and when you are getting low, turn to your powers instead. Throwing objects at enemies with Launch deals just as much damage as a clip of bullets does, so you'll want to be incorporating the abilities into your playstyle from the moment you acquire them.

You can't level up

Every enemy in the game has a level attached to them, normally ranging from one to six. Common sense would suggest that you also have a level attached to your character and build so that you know if you can take them out with ease or not, but that's not actually the case at all. You do get upgrade points that can be slotted into a skill tree, but a number is never actually assigned to you. Essentially, it's not something you really need to worry about whatsoever as long as you're improving your powers when you have the opportunity.