Control Objects of Power and how to unlock every ability

The Control Objects of Power indicate the various abilities you'll gain access to as you progress through the story, including Levitate, Seize, and Launch. Unlocking them all is really important, not only for maximizing your skills in combat to fight off the toughest foes, but also for exploring if you want to beat every side mission and clear 100% of the game. Some of these Objects of Power are tied to key beats in the storyline, but others are linked to specific side missions so could be missed entirely if you don't seek them out. To make sure you don't overlook anything, we've got all of the Control Objects of Power locations here, along with details on how to get them.

Launch

Launch is the first ability you can unlock, and is picked up during the Control mission Unknown Caller which takes place at the start of the game in the Executive Sector. The actual object itself is found in the Pneumatics section, once you’ve cleared Dead Letters and the Communication Department. Again, this is part of a main mission so it’s fairly self-explanatory, but once you’re in the room you have to avoid the bolts it is shooting at you and sneak up on it. 

Once you cross from side to side and reclaim it you will be taken to the Astral Plane, where you have to complete a short training session by launching gold blocks into sockets to prove you’re worthy of wielding the Paranatural power. Complete it and you will gain Launch, which lets you pick up and hurl environment objects (and eventually enemies themselves) at your foes.

Evade

Next up is Evade, which is gated by a fairly easy side, the Control mission A Merry Chase that’s difficult to miss if you like to explore. This time you’ll be in the Maintenance Sector, and you’re going to want to travel to the Janitor’s Office. Nearby you’ll see a forklift and a flashing red light. Head into the room with the red light. 

Explore it but be ready for a shock (we’re not going to spoil it here.) Once the game drops you into the Astral Plane, you’ll be tasked with cleansing the Merry-Go-Round Horse Object of Power. Chase after it using your platforming skills, and then once you’ve cleansed it you can use the dash to escape the plane and return to The Oldest House. You can now use Evade to escape all manner of dangerous situations and protect Jesse from projectile-hurling Hiss.

Shield

This is easily the most difficult ability to unlock in Control and for good reason! Shield allows Jesse to create a very powerful barrier made out of nearby rubble that will conclusively block enemy attacks.

Personally I don’t remember picking this up before completing the Control mission A Good Defence, but some players are reporting that you need the Research - Home Safe Tests collectable document to start the mission, which can be found in Black Rock Processing or NSC Energy Converters. Snoop around and be vigilant for documents.

You can choose to pick that up or simply head to Field Training which is near the sector elevator stop for the Maintenance Sector. Adjacent from the Access Corridor sector is where you should see a door marked Field Training. You first have to destroy some Hiss blocks to access it though. They look like red globs of data on the walls and ceiling near the main door to Field Training. Lob some crud at them and you will be allowed inside.

Here’s where it gets tricky. Remember the start of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare where you had to run the gauntlet in a good time? This is Control’s version, and it’s pretty demanding! As a primer for what you need to do before you go in blind, I’m going to run through room by room what needs doing.

1. Room one and two - Shoot the targets with Jesse’s Service Weapon
2. Room three - Launch the orange electricity box into the wall socket
3. Room four - Launch two orange boxes into their respective wall sockets.
4. Room five - Shoot more targets with the Service Weapon
5. Room six - Fill the two orange box sockets to create stairs for Jesse
6. Room seven - Run around the walls that try to impede you
7. Final chamber - Launch environmental objects at the Safe.

Once all of those tasks have been completed, you can cleanse the safe and you will unlock the Shield ability. In the Astral Plane, tactically keep your shield up as you evade the attacks of the Gold Enemies and reach the end of the training course. You should return to reality, one new ability intact!

Seize

This next ability is one of the most powerful but is also gated by a side quest that you could miss if you’re not such a vigilant player. Further into the game once you’ve reached the Research sector you should be looking for Marshall. This will lead you through Parapsychology to an area with a big brain sculpture that is split into pieces. Nearby there should be a whiteboard with a document that you can pick up which will start the side quest Control mission A Captive Audience. The game points you towards the Hypnosis Lab, which is just behind you, an offshoot of the room you just cleared to get to the statue.

Inside you’ll see several enamoured bureaucrats cooing over an X-Ray Light Box. Head over to your right and you will enter a room with some computers, one of which you can interact with to kick off a puzzle section. Interact with it and look in the background, you should see some pieces of paper stuck to a glass wall. The one you can see right the right-hand monitor is the solution. It’s the top-most diamond shape all filled in, with the outer ring coloured in all the way around. Copy the solution from the piece of paper you can see on the right through the window and you will unlock the door to the box. 

Cleanse it, head to the Astral Plane and Seize some fools to help you take out the invulnerable enemies and you will unlock this fantastic ability which can quickly turn the tide of battle and can be upgraded so it can be used on tough or armoured enemies.

Levitate

Control doesn’t feel right until Jesse receives the Levitate ability. Unfortunately, this one is gated by the main story, as much as I snooped around trying to unlock it early. Progress until you hit Mission Six, and the game will take you to the fourth floor of the Panopticon in the Containment Sector. We’re not going to spoil how you receive it as it is absolutely part of the main narrative, but bear in mind that you might want to push through the game until this point if you’re a completionist. Levitate makes everything easier, allowing you to access new heights and hidden areas as well as acquiring a significant combat advantage on enemies. If you want to wrap up all the side quests, max out Jesse’s abilities and find everything before progressing further without knockbacks, you might want to play until you receive Levitate and then double back on all of the things you missed so far.

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