Progressing in Control has a certain bureaucratic feel. As you move through the levels of the federal building, you need a security clearance. Players don’t start with any clearance levels and have to find the corresponding passes hidden around the building to progress.
Gamers Heroes has a brief but informative guide already on the topic. It notes first that you can check your clearance at any time by looking in the Assets tab in the menu. There you find your current clearance level. Each clearance level corresponds to doors, and information players need to progress. Since you begin without any clearance levels, the game requires you to find different clearance passes as you play.
It introduces this mechanic exceptionally early in the game, right into the start of the second mission. The mission directs players to access a mailroom, which is behind a locked security door. The door requires a security level one. Here you’ll find that you need Clearance Level 1 to get into the room. In the room just before the mailroom, there’s a dead guard on the floor. Locate his body and the items around it. It won’t be on him, but rather on the floor in the objects around him. Search these items, and you’ll find the Clearance Level 1 pass. Now you’ll be able to access the mailroom and other doors of the same level.
