The best 505 Games has to offer.
The second day of the Electronics and Entertain Expo started for me with a stop at 505 Games. The company brought with them quite a few games for people to play and one that was an unknown title. First up was the previously unannounced title, Control from Remedy Entertainment. We didn’t get hands on time with Control but it still looks like the next great game from 505 Games. You play the role of Jesse, the new Federal Director of Control and she takes over for the old one who was killed!
The game is part survivor and part 3rd person shooter where you will need to think quickly and smart to get through the Oldest House, the location for the game. The Oldest House changes over the game and allows players to pick their own path inside the house, as if it were. The game is a sandbox game where the Oldest House changes over time and you’ll have to be smart to figure out what to do next. Jesse also have psychic abilities and has the option to learn more as she makes her way through the Oldest House. The combat system puts the psychic abilities to the test as one segment had Jesse catching debris and throwing it back at the monster that threw it in the first place. You’ll be able to unlock new abilities but you’ll have to find Altered items, items that the bureau has been investigating.
You’ll be able to get levitate in this fashion. One of the cool things from the demo video was that is looked like you could change the trajectory of the items you were throwing with the psychic ability such as a table and you can spin it to make it more deadly. You’ll also get a special gun that only the director of he bureau uses. You can use the gun while in the air, levitating and that’s always a good sign. There will be side quests to perform during the game as well as much more after the game is complete. One issue I saw was a slight graphical issue, reaching for a key, Jesse’s arm didn’t move and when the door unlocked/opened, she didn’t reach for the door. The game looks great otherwise but in this day and age that things like this can’t be fixed, even in an early build.Next up was Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and for those of you who don’t’ know, this game is a cross between Metroid and Castlevania.
The controls are very simple for this Mertoid-vania style game. The same could be said with how tight and smooth the control scheme is as well for Bloodstained. There are weapons that you’ll need to learn how to use and learn quickly. There are items and equipment that you’ll need to find to keep yourself alive while fighting hordes of monsters as well as boss monsters that are huge in comparison. There is also a crafting system that you can use from time to time to make items better and items in general. You were able to change your weapon quite a bit so I had a type of long sword type of weapon that allowed for strong attacks and could kill faster. The one boss fight I got to was a large squid-like boss that filled up the whole screen and if I didn’t have a lot of potions, he would have killed me.
You can also perform spell like incantations that do all kinds of things like summon bats or fire or electric, you just need to get them. The other game I saw from 505 was a game I knew something about, Indivisible. I had reviewed the backer demo and this was a different demo but the premise was still the same, you play as Ajna as she tries to deal with her town being attacked. Ajna has an ability that can absorb other characters into her mind and you can have four in your party at one given time. One of my favorite things they did in this game is that Ajna can climb walls with the tools she finds, like an axe. Not only does the axe make her attacks stronger, it allows her to cut vines and climb the side of things. The art style screams anime to me but that’s ok as the game will be coming out for all major consoles. During battle you’ll have to chance to use special attacks as well as blocks and team blocks. Be careful though as pretty much everything you’d want to do uses power from the gage. There is an updated demo available online so you’ll be able to check it out( if you previously backed it, not sure though)