The PS4/Xbox One console generation provided players with some of the best and most innovative games out there, setting up the next-gen with even higher expectations. The eighth console generation, spanning from 2013 until today, also had quite a lot of fantastic games come out. “Too many games” is a common joke/complaint thrown around by gaming enthusiasts (at least in reference to back logs), and to some extent, that’s true. Plenty of games have ended up in players’ backlogs simply because of a lack of time. For many, Control is likely one of those games, and that’s really a shame.
Despite a lot of the wonderful praise and positive press that Control received in 2019, the game just didn’t garner as much discussion from the general gaming public for some reason. To many, it may have been the slightly misleading marketing misconstruing it as a horror game, when in reality it was a pure and fun action game. Remedy Entertainment, the developer responsible for titles like Alan Wake and Quantum Break, really outdid itself with Control despite the smaller development budget.
Basing a game, in general, in a SCP-inspired setting is a rare sight in games. For Control to do so in a triple-A action game is an even more unprecedented move, which is part of the reason why the game is so unique. Admittedly, that’s also why the game is so underrated as well. To those who would’ve seen Control‘s reveal trailer back at E3 2o18, many would have assumed it was a niche horror game and moved on. To be fair, the debut trailer wasn’t entirely misleading, but many gaming fans likely didn’t realize that Control‘s horror elements were mostly atmospheric and based on a real-life web fiction project.
Control‘s setting and lore is largely based on that obscure collaborative fiction, collectively known as the SCP Foundation. SCP, similar to other internet myths like Slenderman, has been around for a long time. As early as 2008, SCP articles and stories were put up on the main site detailing objects/entities that were supernatural, with the SCP (Secure, Contain, Protect) foundation isolating these things to be studied. Control takes place within the Federal Bureau of Control, Remedy Entertainment’s version of the SCP in game. Jesse Faden becomes the new director of the FBC, attempting to bring the Oldest House facility back under control from a hostile force known as “The Hiss.”
Frankly, it all sounds very horror-esque until players actually get started in the game. Rather than feeling limited in a claustrophobic horror game, Control takes things a step further into supernatural absurdity. Players are given all of the keys to victory in an unusual world full of powerful, otherworldly enemies. In a lot of ways, Control plays like a superhero game without the pedigree of an established comic book character. Players can dash, levitate, and utilize a variety of telekinetic powers, all thanks to the adaptable and shapeshifting firearm known as the Service Weapon. Even if the complicated and obtuse story doesn’t interest players, the mechanics can carry the experience as well.
Every combat mechanic in Control is in service to make players feel unstoppable. All of these abilities work in tandem during some of the hardest boss fights throughout the game, and while the game isn’t especially difficult, combat is incredibly fun and satisfying. Exploring the Oldest House’s ever-shifting geometry starts a little slow, but becomes a blast over time. Ask any Control fan about the Ashtray Maze, as this moment in the game is easily one of the most fascinating and visually impressive sections in any video game. Control is at its most confident in this moment, meshing all of the mechanics and level design together into easily the best mission in the whole game.
There’s a reason why numerous journalists and media outlets in 2019 named Control as game of the year, despite being snubbed at The Game Awards by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In a gaming world where several big franchises iterate and inspire one another, Control very much stands on its own as something wholly unique. Games like Infamous and Spider-Man have simulated what it’s like to be a superhero before, but never in the conflicting and complex manner that Control does for Jesse Faden. Not to mention, it’s a shock that the less-than-mainstream nature of SCP lore was adapted into a high-budget action game, which would’ve been shot down by any other big publisher.
Even after initial release, Control continues to expand with multiple DLC expansions as well. Remedy is even tying the game into the Alan Wake canon with the upcoming expansion as well. There’s a lot to love with this game, and despite all of the generous coverage and praise for Control, there’s still an air of mystery surrounding one of the most unique games of this past console generation. Among tons of triple-A games that were similarly impressive, Control was easily the most unique of the bunch. It’s not exactly revolutionary in terms of game design, but Control has an identity all its own that deserves its due recompense.
Control is available now on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. PS5 and Xbox Series X versions are also planned to release this Fall.
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