In a new post for the PlayStation Blog, Remedy's Lead Gameplay Designer, Sergey Mohov, explores how the CONTROL Resonant team approached the adventure's New Game Plus feature.
Traditionally, New Game Plus allows players to return to the game once the story has been completed, armed with the skills that the hero has developed over the course of the main campaign. Some titles allow players to replay the story with the new skills, whereas others (such as Control) allow you to return to the world. Essentially, it's a feature for nerds. It's a mode specifically for completists and fans of the game, who aren't ready to part with the experience just because the story ended. The more in-depth the world, the more players want to continue to explore those nooks and crannies.
In the article, Sergey explains that Resonant will allow players to start the story fresh, while keeping hold of your previously unlocked abilities. These include "Aberrant upgrades, health, combat ability resource improvements, unlocked supernatural combat abilities, talents, and artifacts".
Resonant's Manhattan holds a few extra secrets, and not all areas can be found in a single run, with the world filled with World Quest bounties and collectibles. When designing the game mode, "one of the goals for New Game Plus is to give players more room to experiment with builds that weren’t possible during the first playthrough, as you cannot unlock everything in your arsenal in one go," Sergey describes. Alongside exploring new areas, the combat approach is specifically addressed in the article, with players returning to previous boss fights with a skillset and abilities suited to their playstyle.
Previously undiscussed, Artifacts receive a specific shoutout in the post. They're equippable items with background modifiers that allow players to tailor their build. These curious devices "can affect survivability, combat performance, exploration, or the resource economy – and some come with conditions or trade-offs." Three artifact placements will be available in the first playthrough, with an extra one for returning players.
You can read Sergey's full article on the PlayStation Blog, HERE!
