PAX Prime 2015: Randall Hands-On Preview – Take Control

At PAX Prime 2015, I got a chance to try out Randall, an upcoming platformer from We The Force Studios. It offers the same as any other platformer — puzzles, combat, and lots of jumping — but, it has a twist.

See, in order to get through the various levels in the game’s five unique stages, players have to use Randall, a sort of psychic rebel in a dystopian world, to take control of different enemies. It almost works like a Mega Man game, but, instead of having to kill a boss to permanently gain their abilities, players can temporarily take control of bosses and any of the 25 or so different enemies. During my playthrough, I only got the chance to take on a few different bad guys, but I had fun doing so.

Mind Manipulation

When the demo first booted up, it, and the developers, offered me tutorials on how to wall jump, slide under traps, and climb, all of which seemed pretty standard for platformers. I then made my way to a room where a big brutish guard was waving around a type of taser. He made his way towards me, and I mashed the combat button, giving him a few quick jabs and uppercuts, sending him flying. I was then told to approach him and press the circle button on the DualShock 4 controller. As I pressed it, I saw a psychic blast emit from Randall’s hand, and suddenly he was on top of the guards back, and I could control the guard. I could move as the guard, attack as the guard, and I could even shoot myself off of the guards back, which enabled me to get to a platform high above my head that I never would have been able to reach without doing so.

Puzzle Projectiles

I was told that many puzzles will require that the player takes control of enemies. In one of the next rooms, I was attacked by three bad guys, two of which could use projectile weapons. I quickly moved over to one of them and used my mind control powers. After he was under my control, I used his projectiles to wipe out the other two enemies in the room, then jumped off of his back and eliminated him with my fists. 

In the next and final room, I was able to take control of a flying enemy, and then pilot him through a narrow row of traps. It was interesting to see how different bad guys will offer up completely different ways to get through puzzles, as well as take out other enemies.

Randall should release sometime next year, and after my hands-on session with it, is on my radar.