Remedy’s most recent release, Control, is a unique beast. The 3D action game gives players a unique toolset with which to dispatch enemies, and its setting, The Oldest House, is a uniquely chilling environment that begs exploration in order to uncover its deepest mysteries. Big budget action games rarely encourage discovery in such a fashion.
For those who finished Control and are looking for something more to play, the following list will present ten recommendations. Not all of the games are one-to-one replicas of the new title from the Finnish studio, but they all have at least one thing linking them. After all, there is nothing else truly like Control. Here’s hoping this isn’t the last gamers see of Jesse Faden.
Updated On February 16th, 2021, By Jason Wojnar: Since its August 2019 release, Control has received a lot of changes. In addition to updates improving the quality of life experience, the game also was expanded upon with two DLC stories, The Foundation and AWE. Most recently, Control: Ultimate Edition was released, packaging all the DLC and bringing dramatic improvements for the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
12 Deadly Premonition
It is no secret that Control is heavily influenced by Twin Peaks. To be fair, most media after the early ’90s takes at least some inspiration from the landmark television series. Deadly Premonition more heavily wears this influence on its sleeve. The supernatural storyline and bizarre characters feel like it could be right at home in a David Lynch film. It is recommended to stay far away from the sequel to this cult classic, however. The Nintendo Switch exclusive suffers from severe technical issues.
11 Beyond: Two Souls
Quantic Dreams’ games are not for everyone. They are extremely narrative-focused, with the gameplay mostly being quick-time events and moving around. Enjoyment largely depends on how much one enjoys the story. Anyone who appreciates supernatural mysteries dealing with different realms of existence and the afterlife could do a lot worse in the medium than Beyond: Two Souls. Elliot Page stars as the player character and Willem Dafoe also lends his talents to a role. Like Control, the main character is guided by a mysterious, supernatural force.
10 Max Payne
Max Payne’s darkly tragic tale was not Remedy’s first game, but it put them on the map and established them as one of the most talented development studios. The grounded, gritty crime story is a far cry from the supernatural chills Control gives off, but one can still feel the shared DNA between the two.
Don’t stop at the first Max Payne, either; Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is an underrated masterpiece. The third game was not developed by Remedy, but it is an equally compelling title. James McCaffrey, the voice and likeness of Zachariah Trench, voices the titular character.
9 The Sinking City
Frogwares, based in the divinely beautiful Kiev, Ukraine, made a name for themselves with their Sherlock Holmes detective titles. The Sinking City retains the investigation mechanics but transposes it to an H.P. Lovecraft-inspired setting. Combat also plays a bigger role than in their prior titles.
The main character’s sanity is constantly in question, and the player often has to wonder if what they see is really happening. While Jesse Faden never questions if the bizarre experiences she has are real, the supernatural story in The Sinking City may tickle a similar fancy for those who enjoyed Control’s narrative.
8 Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night
Control is billed as a metroidvania and is one of the few in the genre built in a 3D environment on a sizable budget. For those interested in diving into a more traditional example of the genre, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night will oblige in spades. The game was produced by Koji Igarashi, who also worked on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which is still considered the best the genre has to offer. The more tried and true metroidvania won’t be for everyone, but they’re at least worth trying.
7 BioShock
The underwater city of Rapture is one of gaming’s most iconic settings. Like Control’s Oldest House, the dilapidated metropolis feels alive, as if it is a character within the game, though the dirty and flooded areas are a stark contrast to The Oldest House’s sterile office environments.
The gameplay also relies on special powers like telekinesis to spice up combat. Much like Remedy’s game, Bioshock starts players with no knowledge of the city or what happened, only slowly unraveling the mystery as they progress. Control fixed the developer’s boss problem, but BioShock will make Remedy fans feel at home with its equally underwhelming final encounter.
6 Arkham Asylum
While Arkham City and Arkham Knight went bigger, something about Arkham Asylum’s tighter setting still makes it valuable in comparison to the other Arkham games.
Rocksteady’s first Batman title does not try to be a free-roaming adventure, yet the asylum is brimming with secrets, and the sense of discovery is just as strong in this as it is in the later titles. Triple-A games seldom get the opportunity to put in so many secrets and give the player the ability to explore, so one really has to savor it when one does come along.
5 System Shock
The two System Shock games had a huge impact on the genre. Like its spiritual successor, BioShock, players have little knowledge of the mess they find themselves in at first, only to discover the truth as they traverse the isolated ship.
The principal difference between System Shock and later games of the genre is the horror elements; System Shock will make the squeamish wet their pants with its atmospheric terror. Both titles in the series are over twenty years old, but, thanks to gog.com they are easy to find and run on modern operating systems.
4 Quantum Break
Quantum Break was Remedy’s prior effort before Control. It was also their last game under Microsoft before regaining independence. Like Control, the studio utilized impressive performance capture technology to put notable actors like Sean Ashmore and Courtney Hope into the game.
The narrative was also experimental, as the gameplay was separated by live-action sequences rivaling the length of television shows. The format was loved by some and loathed by others, but most agreed their implementation of live-action footage was done better in Control.
3 Second Sight
Second Sight was only one of two titles from Free Radical that wasn’t a TimeSplitters game, and the only one worth its weight in disc space since Haze was severely disappointing.
The action game puts players in the shoes of an amnesiac who possesses psychic abilities. He uses the powers to escape the facility he is held in and uncover his mysterious past. David Doak is credited as a writer, a name some may recognize from Goldeneye on the N64. Free Radical unfortunately doesn’t exist anymore, so a future for the series is uncertain.
2 Half-Life
This first-person shooter revolutionized the genre. It all took place in one environment, told its story organically through gameplay, and never took control away from the player.
Seeing Black Mesa as a normal, functioning research facility before their science experiment goes terribly wrong helped players feel the impact of the monstrous invasion. It lacks the player progression from Control, but the setting sticks in players’ minds, much like The Oldest House. The sequel is also a landmark title in the genre, but there is something special about the first game and how it takes place entirely in the research facility. Additionally, the modding community took this game to a whole new level.
1 Alan Wake
Those who already played Alan Wake were pleasantly surprised to find all the connections between the supernatural thriller and Control. For those late to the party, it is never too late to experience the titular character’s descent into madness. Matthew Porretta provides Wake’s voice, who portrays Dr. Darling in the 2019 title. The studio has a clear reverence for their 2010 cult classic, and the link between it and Control was further solidified with the AWE DLC episode.
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