Did the team have to rein in any ideas
that may have been too conceptually
strange for the average gamer?
“I don’t know,” says Paul. “We get
really weird...”
“We do get really weird,” laughs
Brooke, “so I’d almost say we don’t
rein it in, but we do it in a precise way,
so we decide when our really weird
moments are going to be. And then
make sure there’s enough explanation
around it for it not to be completely
bizarre... but then we’ve enough
mystery for people to want to engage
with it further.”
Astral tweaks
For our hands-on demo we’re let
loose in the Bureau’s central lobby – a
massive, many-levelled stairwell with
huge trees growing up the middle
of it, that gives us the opportunity
to experience some verticality.
Jesse, by this point in the game, can
fly – or rather hover – and use that
height advantage to ground pound
enemies. There’s also an offensive
rush, which also functions nicely for
getting around with a rapid speed
burst through the air. There are a lot
of enemies spawned in this build
specifically for us to experience – a
variety of Bureau agents possessed
by the Hiss, with some familiar enemy
designs such as tanks and those
using ranged attacks to target Jesse
from distance.
The combat feels extremely
pleasing, being intuitive, fluid
and fast, while the AI feels smart
enough to challenge you while
also demonstrating some human
predictability; the different waves that
spawn behave logically but differently
each time, as they fan out and move
to cover, positioning to take you downABOVE The
Bureau’s agents
have been
possessed by
the Hiss.
RIGHT Jesse’s
service weapon
is a unique
firearm that can
alter its shape.while at the same time massively
underestimating a woman who can fly,
throw objects with her mind and has a
paranormal firearm.
The service weapon is very much
the star of the show here. While it
retains, roughly, its one-handed pistol
nature, the disjointed, floaty elements
that form its overall basic shape
alter to denote the weapon’s current
function – they change shape, spin
and stretch as you fire or charge up
your blasts. The service pistol seems
endlessly moddable for whatever
purpose you have for it. In our demo,
it can serve up shotgun blasts or, our
personal favourite, in ‘Pierce’ form it
becomes more like a powerful rifle-1 THE WEAPON
The Director’s Pistol
becomes Jesse’s when she
takes the job. It is an
ancient weapon that takes
the form and function of
whatever you need it to
be, which means it can be
upgraded with different
ammo types and effects.
2 THE HISS
The Hiss, named as
such by Jesse, is an
interdimensional alien
force that has invaded
our reality. These beings
possess other living
creatures, turning the
Bureau’s agents, for
example, into hostiles.3 THE POWERS
Not only can she fly, she
can manipulate objects
with the power of her
mind, ie: telekinesis. For
you, this means picking
up office furniture and
hurling it at enemies.
This guy’s about to get a
monitor to the face.4 THE OFFICE
Don’t be fooled by the
mundane office facade of
the Bureau - the ‘Oldest
House’ is way, way bigger
on the inside. If that’s
not something to do
with time and relative
dimension in space, we’ll
eat our Jelly Babies.CONTROL AT A GLANCE
2
3
4
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048 THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE