Control initially released in August, 2019 and managed to be one of the most beloved games of the year. Remedy recently updated the game for PS5 and Xbox Series X as Control: Ultimate Edition. The new version brings along significant performance upgrades, DualSense support for the PS5, and also comes with the two DLC expansions, The Foundation and AWE.
Revisiting the game has reminded players what makes Control and Remedy Entertainment as a developer so unique. One would be hard pressed to find a game where any of the ten quotes below would fit in, but they all feel right at home in Remedy’s supernatural action game.
10 “You Better Go Now Or You Won’t Have To Run With Your Head As Your Third Leg” – Ahti
Ahti the janitor is one of the most mysterious characters in Control. No one can remember how he got into the Oldest House. Most of his lines are Finnish idioms directly translated, regardless of how they sound in English. The above quote, for example, means being in a hurry. This is just one of many examples of the wild, seemingly nonsensical things that come out of the janitor’s mouth. Fortunately, he is always on Jesse Faden’s side.
9 “It Feels Sane, Or Just The Right Kind Of Insane” – Jesse Faden
Jesse utters this during gameplay when she is talking to herself, or perhaps somewhat to Polaris too. The protagonist has been searching for her brother her entire life and got more than she bargained for when she entered the Oldest House. After becoming the director and falling into such an extreme situation, she adjusts to it faster than one would expect from a typical video game protagonist.
8 “665, The Neighbor Of The Beast. Get It?” – Dr. Darling
This quote might seem like a dumb joke, and it is, but it is also a reference to prior Remedy games. Max Payne 2 features the same exact same joke.
Despite how dark and brutal the situation within the Oldest House can get, the game never forgets to throw in a little humor here and there. It’s impossible not to find the idea of the Oldest House and the Federal Bureau of Control at least a little bit humorous or joyous.
7 “Let’s Just Chalk It Up To Synchronicity So We Can Get Back To Work” – Emily Pope
Emily Pope says this when Jesse Faden questions how she knew to come to the Foundation during the similarly titled DLC episode. Pope is an oddly cheery character considering the dire state of her workplace. She is so fascinated by the supernatural phenomena, the danger seems to elude her. This quote showcases how she and the rest of the bureau take all the strange occurrences in stride. Anybody would have to become desensitized to it after a while.
6 “Maybe I’ll Never Understand. Maybe I Don’t Need To” – Jesse Faden
Jesse says this near the end when deducing how the Hiss infiltrated the Oldest House. She puts the pieces together, but by the end of the game no one really knows what the Hiss wants or why Polaris helps Jesse. Appreciating the narrative is not necessarily about understanding these forces’ motivations, however. One can definitely see the parallels between Control and Twin Peaks with this idea. The latter is also almost impossible to understand in a traditional manner.
5 “Bark Don’t Make A Wound” – Ahti
This is another one of Ahti the janitor’s bits of wisdom. This one is a little more self explanatory. Insults do not cannot really hurt people. Whether how true this is depends on one’s personal opinions. After all, words definitely have the power to ruin someone’s day and put them in a bad mood. We hope if sequels to Control come out, we see more of Ahti and learn more about his origins.
4 “Beyond The Shadow You Settle For, There Is A Miracle Illuminated” – Jesse Faden (Thomas Zane)
This verse without context is a beautiful piece of writing. Go a layer a deeper and it realtes to Control‘s objects of power and how fantastic things are hidden in plain sight within the real world. Remedy fans understand how vital this quote really is, however. Thomas Zane is a fictional writer who plays an important part in Alan Wake. Since future Remedy games will take place in the same continuity, Thomas Zane’s name will no doubt pop up again.
3 “The Executive Restroom Has Been Missing For Weeks” – D. Rodriguez
Control uses documents scattered throughout the Oldest House to expand upon the lore. Many of them also lend out bits of humor, showing how the bureau’s employees treat the Oldest House like any other workplace. Few other office buildings have the issue of bathrooms simply disappearing, however. The Oldest House shifts periodically, and Rodriguez is upset about the shift taking away his bathroom.
2 “It’s Not Superstition If It Works” – Langston
Langston is in charge of Panopticon and says this after describing how he and his team keep the objects of power in check. The objects respond positively to rituals, many of which are typical to things superstitious people do to ward off supernatural misfortune.
This almost validates the superstitious friends among us. If Langston says it prevents the objects of power from acting up, then it must work in real life too.
1 “I Can’t Tell If That’s Creepy Of Normal Here” – Jesse Faden
Jesse Faden says this to herself and Polaris in reaction to Emily Pope’s excitement at studying the Hiss. She quickly learns that nothing can be considered weird or out of the ordinary in the Oldest House. If everything is weird, then nothing is weird. The game constantly walks the line between being terrified and fascinated by the supernatural. The Hiss seem to be exclusively villainous, but other elements of the Oldest House are interesting, even if they are dangerous.
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