Control is the latest game developed by Remedy Entertainment, a studio most commonly known for the original Max Payne games back on the PlayStation 2 and laterally both Alan Wake and Quantum Break on Xbox. It’s a studio that doesn’t make bad games but often times finds it’s products being more critically well received than commercially. Is Control the game that can push Remedy into that upper echelon of sales figures? Let’s break it down.
GRAPHICS
In the days after release, I heard people refer to Control as one of the best looking games of this generation, but I must say I don’t fully agree with that. In terms of world-building, the Oldest House is an absolutely amazing location to set a game. Honestly, I found myself thinking back to the last time I found a setting this enthralling and this may be the best since 2007’s Rapture in the original Bioshock.
But the geometry of the ever-evolving setting our protagonist finds herself in, while jaw-dropping in terms of scale and presentation doesn’t necessarily look any better than your average AAA game. That’s not to say you won’t find yourself impressed with the small details in the world. I loved how so much of the background furnishings of the environment were destructible. It brought a level of immersion you rarely see in games. Just don’t expect Horizon Zero Dawn or Red Dead Redemption 2 level of digital photography when the games photo mode is added down the line.
GAMEPLAY
This is the section where Control really shines… in the control(s). Throughout the game, you will acquire various abilities to help you fight off the Hiss. These abilities include, but are not limited to, launch; the ability to fire objects in the world at the desired target, levitate; being able to hang in the air or glide for a short time and evade; the ability to dash in the desired direction to avoid being hit.
Some abilities are mandatory and therefore are unlocked via story progression, but a few you could complete the game and totally skip over should you choose not to do some of the excellent side content. Each ability comes with it’s own tactical advantage and I found myself deploying different tactics based on the job at hand. In terms of raw gameplay, Control is probably the best gaming experience I have had this year.
One downside that must be noted is the performance issues the game suffers from. I played on a PS4 Pro and I hear frame rate issues are even more pronounced on a base PS4 model. Thankfully, these performance issues are not random. They only happen when you first come out of the pause menu. Upon coming out of said menu and back in to the game everything grinds to a halt for about five seconds, with only the odd jumping frame sneaking through.
Unfortunately if you have paused during an action sequence there is a decent chance you will be dead before the game sorts itself out. It’s something that can be really frustrating if you ever need to access the menu during a key time. A patch was released about a week after launch that was said to improve stability, but so far I have noticed no improvement.
STORY
I genuinely considered skipping this section altogether. You see, I have completed this game. I have even gotten the platinum trophy in this game. Yet I still don’t really know what it’s about. What I can say is that you play as Jesse, a young woman who is looking for her brother who was taken away from her as a young child. She believes the Bureau of Control has him and goes to the Oldest House, their HQ, in an attempt to find him.
From there the game descends into even more madness as the Bureau has been taken over by a force known as the Hiss, which you have to overcome in order to get to the truth. While I found myself utterly confused by what was going on at times, it was always intriguing and as I stated above the setting itself is absolutely incredible. I also enjoyed the supporting cast of characters and their often strange behaviour.
TROPHIES
There is no difficulty setting in Control, so to complete the game and get the platinum trophy you need to complete the story (obviously) and an assortment of side missions and combat-related trophies. It is a fairly simple list in truth, although a few of the side missions can prove pretty difficult. I’m looking at you Mr. Tommasi!!! All in all, I would rank it around a 4/10 in terms of difficulty and estimate it will take you around 20 hours to do.
VERDICT
Overall, Control is a weird and wonderful game. I am writing this review nearly a month after release and it saddens me to hear that it isn’t selling particularly well. I don’t know anyone who has picked up the game and not been impressed with what they found. This is one that is almost certain to gain a cult following over time, but I hate to think we may never see a sequel due to mild initial interest.
If you have read this review and think the game sounds intriguing, I urge you to check out some clips on YouTube and see if it is something that interests you. For me this is absolutely one of the best games this year and will no doubt make my Top 10 list come December. Max Payne had awesome gameplay, Alan Wake had a great atmosphere… this is what happens when a studio takes two former great games and combines them into something special for a 2019 audience. Buy it.
-Craig 🧐
