Moments ago, Game Informer's Digital Editor, Brian Shea, posted a new article exploring the side missions in Control.
His coverage explores Remedy's new approach to game structure, additional details of the fridge side mission teased last Summer, and how the side missions will add to the game's lore.
As with our previous coverage, we have a breakdown of all the new details released about Control in the latest feature. But of course, if you have time, you should check out the article in full, HERE (archived)!
Remedy Entertainment has traditionally created more linear experiences, but that's changing with Control. Learn more about how the studio is approaching side missions in its newest title. https://t.co/z9BWF0uGyQ pic.twitter.com/ld7LkjRRht— Game Informer (@gameinformer) March 22, 2019
Following their Control-themed April cover reveal, Game Informer is dedicating the following month to the game with exclusives, interviews and new footage being released throughout March. The latest issue is out now and is available to download or buy (if you're in the US) as a physical magazine.
Our Breakdown: For Control, Remedy has taken a different approach to its gameplay, offering up more "complex scenarios", new abilities, and more freedom in how the player chooses how to fight. With the latter, being impacted by a number of things including combinations of abilities, skill upgrades, and character mods.
For the article, Brian spoke to Mikael Kasurinen (Game Director) and Brooke Maggs (Narrative Lead) to learn more about this new approach.
In the main story, we learn more about Jesse and explore with her a personal arc. While the side missions are optional, the game is an open-ended experience which encourages exploration. In the side missions, we learn more about the world around us including the Oldest House (how various locations have been affected by the invasion), the FBC, and of course The Hiss. Through the side missions, Jesse will discover Objects of Power, leading to boss fights to prove her worth to inherit their skill, and adding an additional technique to defend herself against the Hiss.
While Remedy was still rather secretive about the side missions in the game, they did talk about the optional content teased at E3 last year. In previously released gameplay footage, Jesse encounters Philip, an agent whose duty it is to maintain eye contact with a fridge, a powerful Altered Item. His shift also coincided with the Hiss invasion leading to him pleading with Jesse to help him. The player can choose to help or move on. If Jesse helps, he also asks for her assistance to find Frederick Langston (the panopticon supervisor). Through this side mission, Jesse learns more about Philip, Federick, and the Altered Item which started it all. While Brian at Game Informer didn't want to spoil any surprises he did say that "it culminates in a surprising and massive fight". While other Altered Items are kept secret, the developers have also teased other missions with the word "clock".
Remedy's Narrative Lead, Brooke Maggs, touched on another character (revealed a few days ago during the Nvidia video) called Helen Marshall. While we meet her in the main story, we learn more about her, including her role in the FBC and her specialist teams, in the side missions.
Another type of optional content is the "Bureau Alerts" which are described as an "intentionally crafted sided mission" and "time-bound world events". They're spontaneous timed-events that spawns in the sector that Jesse is in. The player receives a notification of its location but whether they're attempted to up to you.
