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Control gets an ultimate edition featuring DLC and next-generation upgrade

Control Ultimate Edition, which comes with all available DLC, will release on August 27 on Steam for $40, where it will make its debut on Valve’s marketplace. It will then release on September 10 for the Epic Games Store, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 digitally. Physical releases will come later this year for current-generation consoles and early 2021 for next-gen due to production complications stemming from the coronavirus.

More importantly, the Ultimate Edition will be the only way for players to receive a free upgrade to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X version of the game. While publisher 505 Games’ post implies there will be a purchasable upgrade to next-generation consoles for players, there is no information currently on how much that might cost.

Purchasing the original game plus its DLC all at full price would cost around $85, nearly double the price of the upcoming bundle. “Game of the Year” versions release all the time with complete packages of games at a discounted rate. Still, players are upset that those that invested in Remedy’s project from the jump will require to pay even more to experience the game on a PS5 or Xbox Series X.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Numerous current-gen titles are receiving visual upgrades for the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X, many of which will be free, with both Sony and Microsoft working on revisions of their in-house titles. Confirmed third-party games currently offering this graphical overhaul at no additional cost are:

  • Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
  • Cyberpunk 2077
  • Destiny 2
  • Dirt 2
  • Doom Eternal
  • Far Cry 6
  • The Elder Scrolls Online
  • Watch Dogs Legion
  • WRC 9

FIFA 2021 and Madden 2021 will temporarily offer free updates, as long as they are claimed before the 2022 releases of both games. NBA 2K21 is taking a similar route as Control, as its Mamba Edition is the only version to include the upgrade. That game is yet to be released, however, whereas Control has been on the market for a year already.

Control launched in August 2019 to widespread critical praise. Since then, it has released an additional game mode Expeditions, which rewarded players by presenting them with a series of combat challenges, and a story expansion The Foundation which continued the story of the main game.

On August 27, the same day that the Ultimate Edition releases, the game’s second story expansion AWE will drop, which will bring the world of Remedy’s previous title, Alan Wake, further into Control‘s universe beyond the collectibles found in the main game.

Tom Caswell
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Professional video producer and writer, gaming enthusiast, and streamer! twitch.tv/greatbritom
CES 2024: Your Samsung TV is getting its own video game controller
The PDP Replay Controller Designed for Samsung Gaming Hub.

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The best weapon upgrades in Alan Wake 2
Saga fights off a Taken in Alan Wake 2.

The Dark Place and Cultists in Alan Wake 2 may be dark and twisted manifestations of an evil force, but once you shed away the darkness, everything will fall into your arsenal of firearms. Neither Alan nor FBI agent Saga are exactly equipped with the firepower you'd want when wandering through the haunted woods and mind-bending Dark Place, but they can make do with what they have in clever ways. Saga specifically is skilled enough to upgrade all the weapons in her inventory to better protect herself against the supernatural threats that stalk her. Upgrades don't come cheap, and if you find all the weapons in the game, you will need to make some tough calls on how you improve them. Here are the upgrades you need to see the final chapter of Alan Wake 2's story.
How weapon upgrades work

You can upgrade your weapons whenever you like in Alan Wake 2 by visiting Saga's Mind Place. Any weapon you have is available to upgrade there, provided you have the required amount of manuscript fragments that you collect from the hidden Luncboxes around the map. These are distinct from the Cult Stashes, so be on the lookout for them since you will need to find quite a few before you can afford even the first upgrade.
Best weapon upgrades
More Bullets
Your starting pistol may not be the most flashy gun in Alan Wake 2, but it is always reliable and it never stops being effective. The first upgrade you should get has to be More Bullets. This will increase the pistol's default magazine size from 12 to 18. This will obviously make it easier and safer to deal with encounters since you won't be caught reloading as often but also helps keep your inventory clean since less space will be taken up for ammo.
Another Headshot
For another pistol upgrade, Another Headshot is very powerful if you're a sharpshooter. If you can score two headshots in a row, the unlucky Cultist will be stunned for a comically long time. That gives you plenty of time to either deal free damage, heal, or just run away if you're low on resources and not prepared for a fight.
Ready for More
The best shotgun upgrade is easily Ready for More. Healing is not only a limited resource, which again takes up inventory space but also a somewhat long animation. If you're in a tight situation and on the verge of death, there usually isn't much you can do. Ready for More can bail you out since it will turn any kill you get with the shotgun into a bit of healing. It isn't a huge amount, but every bit makes a difference.
Two Shots
The Crossbow may be a late-game addition to your toolset, but is absolutely worth saving some manuscript fragments to upgrade ASAP. Two Shots is borderline essential, making it so you can fire twice rather than just once before needing to reload.
Magnetic Pull
Magnetic Pull could be the best upgrade in the game. With it, after you skewer an enemy with a bolt, switching to another gun will make those bullets track to the bolt for guaranteed hits. If you're comfortable swapping weapons on the fly, this is satisfying and efficient.

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Where to find all inventory upgrades in Alan Wake 2
Saga stands in front of an evidence board in Alan Wake 2.

While the first Alan Wake game certainly had plenty of scares and horror in it, the mechanics were not as strictly of the survival horror variety. Alan Wake 2 has gone fully in this direction, however, with a much darker tone, disturbing imagery, and restrictive combat mechanics that sustain the tension when The Taken attack.

Aside from limited ammo, low health, and tough enemies to bring down, a key aspect of survival horror games is an inventory system. The first game let you hold essentially as much ammo, batteries, and weapons as you wanted in each chapter, but the sequel introduces a grid system that will look familiar to Resident Evil fans. Just like Resident Evil, your inventory starts off quite small, but you can see there is plenty of space for it to grow. There are specific items hidden in and around Bright Falls that can let you expand your carrying capacity, but many are well hidden in dark corners. Here are the locations of every inventory upgrade in Alan Wake 2.
All inventory upgrades

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