Remedy Entertainment’s Control is a remarkable blend of mystery, action, and supernatural intrigue. Set in the enigmatic Oldest House, this game captivates players with its complex story, compelling exploration, and top-tier combat. However, the game’s intricate mechanics and dense lore can overwhelm newcomers. To help you navigate the challenges, we’ve compiled a detailed guide with 15 essential tips to enhance your experience.
1. Unraveling the Story: Explore Everything
Control’s narrative is dense, especially in the beginning. The Oldest House is littered with documents, audio logs, and video files that provide crucial backstory and explanations of its bizarre phenomena. Thorough exploration is vital—every piece of information adds layers to the story and helps you make sense of the supernatural chaos. Make it a habit to search every corner for hidden collectibles and lore-expanding files.
2. Prioritize Side Quests for Unique Abilities
While the main questline is engaging, side quests are indispensable for unlocking Jesse’s supernatural powers. Many of these missions revolve around Objects of Power, which grant unique abilities such as the Seize power. Completing these quests not only expands your combat options but also makes battles significantly easier. Make it a rule to tackle side missions as soon as they appear.
3. Master the Seize Ability
One of the most potent abilities is Seize, which lets Jesse turn enemies against each other temporarily. In chaotic fights or boss encounters, this ability can shift the tide. However, initiating a Seize takes a few seconds, leaving you vulnerable. Use cover effectively when capturing enemies to avoid getting overwhelmed.
4. Board Countermeasures: A Passive Power Boost
Board Countermeasures are side objectives that reward you for completing specific tasks, like eliminating certain enemy types or achieving kill counts. These missions can be picked up at Control Points (which also serve as save points and fast travel hubs). To optimize, select countermeasures that align with the area you’re exploring to make progress seamless.
5. Upgrading the Service Weapon Wisely
The Service Weapon, Jesse’s morphing firearm, has multiple forms—each suited for different combat scenarios. Rather than immediately upgrading these forms, first unlock all available types to assess which ones suit your playstyle best. Resources are limited, so prioritizing unlocks over upgrades initially can prevent wasting valuable materials.
6. Ideal Weapon Combinations
Grip, the pistol form, is a versatile tool throughout the game with its high ammo capacity and decent range. Pair it with Shatter for close-quarters or Pierce for long-range sniping. While Spin’s rapid-fire approach can seem appealing, its resource cost rarely justifies its use. Focus on balancing range and firepower in your loadout.
7. Health Over Energy in Early Game
Jesse’s health and energy stats are both upgradeable, but in the early hours, investing in health is more beneficial. Early enemies don’t demand heavy ability usage, and extra health gives you more room for error. As the game progresses, you can shift focus to energy upgrades for more frequent ability use.
8. Efficient Mod Management
Mods provide buffs to Jesse and her weapon forms. However, crafting mods is usually a waste of resources since exploration yields plenty of high-quality mods. Discard lower-tier or duplicate mods frequently to free up inventory space and reclaim resources for more meaningful upgrades.
9. Invest in Melee for Crowd Control
Jesse’s melee ability is more than just a last-resort attack. Upgrading it turns it into a powerful tool for controlling crowds and dealing with shielded enemies. After establishing a solid health pool, allocate points into melee upgrades to make encounters with swarming enemies more manageable.
10. Constant Motion is Key
Unlike typical third-person shooters, Control lacks a traditional cover system. Instead, survival relies on constant movement. Use Jesse’s Evade ability liberally to dodge incoming attacks and reposition quickly. Standing still makes you an easy target, so prioritize mobility in every fight.
11. Understanding Enemy Types
Familiarize yourself with the different enemy types and their weaknesses. For example, shielded enemies fall quickly to Launch attacks, while airborne foes require different tactics. Recognizing and prioritizing threats in combat is crucial for survival.
12. Dealing with Hiss Clusters
Hiss Clusters act as healing nodes for enemies. They don’t attack directly but must be destroyed first to prevent prolonged fights. They move quickly and can easily escape sightlines, so dispatch them immediately upon sighting.
13. Breaking Through Hiss Barriers
Certain areas are blocked by red Hiss walls. To remove these barriers, locate and destroy smaller Hiss nodes in the vicinity using the Launch ability. Clearing these nodes dispels the main barrier, allowing you to progress.
14. Resource Management: Save and Spend Wisely
With limited resources, focus on unlocking all weapon forms first before investing in upgrades. Avoid crafting mods and instead recycle duplicates to recover valuable materials.
15. Adapt and Experiment
The Oldest House is full of surprises, and flexibility is your best weapon. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different ability and weapon combinations to find what works best for each situation.
Conclusion
Control offers a deep and rewarding experience for those willing to explore its mysteries and master its combat system. By following these tips, you’ll be better equipped to uncover the secrets of the Oldest House and harness Jesse’s full potential. Good luck, Director!
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