Control Review (PC)

very good
key review info
  • Game: Control
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
  • Reviewed on:
Control artwork

There are games so good that they become the standard for comparison. With that in mind, parts of Remedy Entertainment's Control are God of War level good, others are great, and a few just ok. Put all that together and you get an inconsistent experience with amazingly well done moments sprinkled with mechanics or gameplay elements that seem unfinished or not polished enough.

Inconsistency aside, Control is a great game that draws inspiration from sci-fi books, games and even movies. There are some weird (but in a good way) Twilight Zone, Fringe moments that rises the tension from the mid to the end parts of the game.

Control is an action adventure game that heavily relies on the story to keep you interested, but combat is where the game really shines. Ironically, Control starts and ends quite abruptly, but for different reasons.

You step into Jesse Faden's shoes, a seemingly unimportant character who suddenly becomes involved in a conspiracy that transcends not just reality, but our dimension too. Yes, Remedy went full paranormal on this one, even though the story feels like it's set in the 60s and 70s.

Having just stepped inside the Federal Bureau of Control's building, Jesse has to deal with important decisions that others made for her. Instead of learning more information about her missing brother from the Director, she becomes the Director, a status that involves much more than just sitting at a desk and giving orders.

Lack of information inspires imagination

Without any knowledge about the activities of the FBC and armed with your Service Weapon that can only be “bound” to the Director, Jesse is tasked with an important mission: eliminate all the disturbing creatures that have overtaken the bureau. It's an easy and clear task at first glance, although Jesse has a mission of her own – find the truth about her missing brother.

Control starts abruptly, so there's not much to cling to for the first few hours, but that's where the combat mechanics kicks in. The game slowly teaches you how to upgrade your supernatural weapon using strange materials dropped by the Hiss, the name of the dreaded creatures that you'll be fighting throughout the entire game.

And then there's the paranatural powers that Jesse gains by bounding various Objects of Power to her will. It's so satisfying to hear the concrete right next to you gnashing under the power of your will and then see it flying in the direction of the enemy you're facing. Jesse's telekinetic skills are most of the time better at dealing damage than your weapon, but since they require energy, a combination between the two is the best way to deal with multiple type of enemies.

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Thanks to the ability to levitate that Jesse gains later in the game, you'll literally be able to fly and employ different tactics when facing hordes of enemies or bosses. The same goes for the weapon, which can be outfitted with many so-called forms that portray different playstyles.

However, I often found myself regretting for sinking a lot of time in side quests that would reward me with some of the resources needed to build a new weapon form. In addition to the base form of your main weapon, there are four additional ones that you can build throughout the game, but I only used two for the most part.

Cleverly combines supernatural abilities and gunplay

Each weapon form is more effective when dealing with specific enemies. For example, one form turns your Service Weapon into a mini-sniper, while others are better at dealing with multiple enemies clustered together or enemies with armor.

The thing is Jesse's paranatural powers are much better in every scenario when combined with the base form of the weapon. It's a bit disappointing that they aren't as interesting and useful as Jesse's supernatural abilities, but they're there and you can use them if you feel the need to change the way you approach your fights.

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Apart from that, Control really shines when it comes to combat. Everything feels so fluid and natural when throwing objects at your enemies or when you levitate above a group of Hiss and then suddenly crash down in the middle of them. For how long it takes to finish the main story, I think there's enough enemy variation to avoid any moments of boredom.

Although the story keeps you hooked almost the whole game, it's the combat that you'll stay for. Control delivers the story via audio and video tapes, as well as “classified” documents that you discover throughout the bureau. Even though Remedy manages to create the eerie atmosphere that perfectly fits the overarching story, I always felt that there's something missing and that I'm not given enough information for the time spent dealing with various crises.


The Good

  • Solid combat mechanics
  • Amazing setting that perfectly blends different sci-fi genres
  • Compelling story
  • Deep characterization
  • Gorgeous art style, beautiful landscapes
  • Mind-blowing sound design and soundtrack

The Bad

  • Weapon forms are almost useless
  • Inventory UI looks and feels unfinished
  • Abrupt ending
  • Inconsistent when it comes to narrative flow

Conclusion

Control is inches away from being a masterpiece, but that might change once the first expansion arrives. The game perfectly captures the eerie, tense atmosphere of a sci-fi thriller, but it's the whole package that makes Control one of the highlights of this year.

There are few things done wrong in Control, but the most obvious is the lack of consistency when it comes to delivering the storyline. The last two thirds of Control are much more interesting than the beginning of the game. Without spoiling anything, I'll also add the abrupt ending to the list of things that Remedy could have done much better.

The compelling story and incredibly well done combat system, along with the amazing art style and deep characterization turn Control into a trippy experience full of surprises and lots of mind-bending, Inception-like moments.

story 8
gameplay 9
concept 8
graphics 9
audio 9
multiplayer 0
final rating 8.5
Editor's review
very good
 

Control screenshots (35 Images)

Control artwork
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