Since the release of Apex Legends in early 2019, its unique movement and gunplay mechanics have enthralled players. Feeling like its predecessor Titanfall 2, Apex Legends became an instant hit as a fast-paced Battle Royale with unique characters and abilities. While players initially loved Apex, the want for a more casual respawn mode was apparent.
Enter Control, a new Limited Time Mode that allows big team fighting and respawning. While you would usually be fighting different squads to become the sole survivor, you are now fighting one other team of nine to control zones and show off your moves. Control allows players to take advantage of all the amazing features of Apex Legends in a fresh new way that simply wouldn’t be possible in the Battle Royale or Arenas game modes. It’s a blast.
Controlled Chaos
Control brings something to Apex Legends that seems to be missing at the moment – casual play. While you could argue that both Battle Royale and Arenas can be played in a more relaxed fashion, odds are you will run into several teams trying their hardest to win in these modes. This doesn’t really happen in Control, as players are more focused on running around seeking kills and playing the objective, without worrying about healing up every time they get hit.
Therefore, it allows almost everyone to have a good time. It doesn’t really matter what level of skill you are at; Control gives players an outlet to just jump in and have fun without worrying about rank, K/D ratio, or wins. While there is an objective and you are bound to occasionally find a more skillful team than usual, the majority of Control players seem to just be having a good time.
Legends Perfected
Apex Legends is well-regarded for many reasons, but the Legends themselves take the cake. Control allows players to take their favorite Legends and use all the abilities they’re used to in new and unique ways. For example, Valkyrie players can fly above all of the competition and shoot down on enemy control points with ease, stunning everyone who walks in with her tactical.
While it is still definitely fun, some Legends admittedly feel far stronger than others. Bloodhound is just as good in Control as they are in Battle Royale or Arenas, being able to scan everything in front of them and gather way too much information. That being said, it doesn’t really take away from the fun of the mode, and certain Legends can still be countered well.
Rating Rewards
One of the best aspects of the new Control mode is the innovative new rating system. Doing well by getting kills, capturing objectives, and assisting your teammates will upgrade your weapons and charge your ultimate ability. This is great because it promotes players to do more than just sit in the back and slowly pick away at opposing Legends, something that can get annoying in other modes.
Due to the emphasis on a player’s entire performance instead of just kills, the kill leader status has been replaced with a ratings leader. Seeking out and eliminating the ratings leader will boost your own ratings and make you more powerful on the battlefield. The ratings leader system adds a sort of second game mode, allowing players to hunt down a bounty and buff their own loadout.
All in all, Control is something Apex Legends desperately needed. It is a fantastic reimagining of a classic FPS game mode made for the chaotic and fluid Apex Legends. The future seems to be bright from here, as the player reception to Control has gone very well. Everyone is excited to see what Apex Legends will become, and Control seems to be an excellent first step towards that future.
