Remedy Entertainment has become a developer known for not playing it safe while innovating. In the early 2000s, Remedy helped change the dynamic of third-person shooters with the first two entries in the “Max Payne” franchise by simply slowing down time when playing as a grizzled cop unconsciously wanting to be John Woo. Almost a decade after the original “Max Payne’s” success came “Alan Wake” – another third-person game, but with a horrific twist and minimalist gameplay features that allowed for the story & atmosphere to take precedence. “Quantum Break” – an Xbox One exclusive – also innovated, but did so in a way that didn’t leave gamers necessarily amazed as the gameplay felt lacking compared to the grandiose narrative moments that could last upwards of twenty minutes. And just like its previous works, Remedy’s “Control” takes gamers in a completely different direction in both gameplay & storytelling with a woman simply trying to find out what happened to her brother; garnering praise amongst journalists & gamers alike – getting yours truly hyped for another one-of-a-kind experience.
Did I Complete “Control”?
The goal of protagonist Jesse Faden is rather simple: enter the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) – The Oldest House – to discover what happened to her younger brother Dylan after a moment of altered reality forced the FBC to get involved and take him with them. Jesse’s entering of The Oldest House reveals more than just paranormal activities and a haunting soundtrack as she immediately discovers the Director of Control murdered and her being able to use his Service Weapon – a gun able to not only forgo ammo in favor of recharging when not in use, but also can change into various forms including a fully automatic pistol or even the equivalent of an armor-piercing rifle. Being helped by an unseen entity, Jesse’s latent powers such as levitating and, most importantly, being able to launch almost anything not nailed down at various adversaries grow; becoming a necessity to take on the infected FBC employees that have been tainted by the Hiss. Both Jesse’s weapons & skills can be upgraded thanks to a mix of currency dropped by enemies or found in crates and skill points usually rewarded for completing missions both side & main.
Though the game sets Jesse in a single building, the environment is larger than one could’ve expected even with the promise of an ever-changing building housing mysteries aplenty. After discovering the minuscule amount of story missions (only ten) and side quests (around twenty), I set out to complete them all – tackling some of the game’s toughest challenges and conquering them after nearly twenty hours (with those optional bosses adding around three hours to the overall experience).
Did “Control” Live Up to the Hype?
With an interesting narrative premise and an environment drenched in a claustrophobic atmosphere, the most impressive offering from “Control” is variety in battle. Jesse’s Service Weapon in its original semi-automatic form, being able to melee nearby adversaries and simply running as much as possible during a firefight initially feels like enough for Jesse to make it through the various enemies presented at the start. Then Jesse’s powers are introduced with a majority of them being more impressive than the ones beforehand including the aforementioned Launch ability. While most of the abilities are given to the player by completing main missions, some are only associated with side quests including a helpful Shield ability. By the game’s end Jesse will be able to levitate, take possession of enemies once their health reaches low enough levels, and turn the Service Weapon into a shotgun with the touch of a button. Upgrades and mods are a big part in how well Jesse survives the monumental firefights especially late in the game. Upgrading weapons and skills will also unlock new abilities such as making the Service Weapon more powerful or Jesse’s Launch ability being able to toss enemies when they’re near death. The modifiers that are gained through both successful battles and the completion of “Board Countermeasures” (a group of randomized challenges such as “Kill 50 Hiss Without Dying) can add boosts to the effectiveness of Jesse’s weapons like better damage & reload speed while Jesse’s physical attributes such as health and the amount of energy exerted to use her abilities gain benefits from these mods as well. Depending on certain fights and scenarios switching up mods or even stacking the same type for double and triple effectiveness is a necessity.
Unfortunately for the fun gameplay comes a lacking of enemy variety. After the first four or so main missions a majority of the opponents Jesse will have to deal with will be unveiled with them being thrown at her at any given moment including at fast travel “Control Point” areas that appear to be a safe zone upon “cleansing” the section. The enemies range from dumb to overpowered with the typical grunts wildly missing gunshots while others are the equivalent of suicide bombers that can knock Jesse’s health down to nothing. Levitating projectile throwers, snipers and even a monster that turns invisible & can unleash a two-hit kill are hampered by poor AI and death coming from something unexpected like accidentally falling off a ledge. The lacking enemy options is made even worse by the fact the main missions bosses are few & far between with victory coming relatively easily. The final missions witness the player not taking on some grandiose Hiss, but just a plethora of the same enemies seen throughout the game in larger numbers. Thankfully there are some challenging bosses available via certain side missions. These bosses feel like something from a totally different game and will produce some of the most stressful, yet gratifying moments for any player. It’s obvious the developers were worried people would quit if they faced some of the side quest bosses during the main story considering the game has no difficulty levels and these bosses spike up the difficulty level ten-fold.
The Oldest House and everything making up Jesse’s journey is both satisfying & frustrating. Moving throughout the various floors & sections usually filled with enemies and collectible items giving players a glimpse into the psyches of employees who once had control of their own bodies, The Oldest House changes both permanently and temporarily; the latter usually due to destructive battles that really displays the game’s impressive graphics. Certain areas are closed off to the player until Jesse can attain the proper “Clearance Level” that comes with the story progressing; gifting dedicated players items & information others just playing through the game lackadaisically won’t discover. As captivating as the environment is, getting lost and not knowing how to advance is pretty easy during the first few hours thanks to a lack of waypoint or indication markers; with the player usually having to rely on direction plaques mounted to certain walls or hanging overhead. The navigation problem is made worse by the fact the overview map is on a 2D plane that doesn’t zoom in or rotate; covering the entire screen when pulled up though in-game time doesn’t stop like when utilizing the mission, upgrades & collectibles screen. Loading screens are definitely a problem as are respawn points especially in regards to boss battles. A majority of the time upon dying Jesse will be warped back to the nearest Control Point that may or may not be anywhere near said boss; featuring a trek back to where the player failed that may involve respawning enemies during that journey. Between death & life is a loading screen that lasts upwards of a minute.
And then there’s the story – another example of an exceptional idea hindered by pacing & general execution. The initial premise gives way to a sci-fi experience second-to-none in video games this generation with an incredible atmosphere both during playable sections and cutscenes that will leave the player questioning the reevaluations even after the game ends. Featuring a short main story where the missions are usually built on going from several points while killing enemies before getting an information dump by the few characters given significant moments like the memorable scientist Emily Hope and almost otherworldly janitor Ahti. The story’s pacing and overall presentation leaves something to be desired because of how exposition is used. Even some of the choices like Jesse’s constant inner monologues can get absurd as she’s visibly standing there talking to “herself” while the other person just grins & watches. Then there’s the fact a lot of explanation about what happened in The Oldest House before Jesse’s arrival are connected to collectible notes & audio logs the player must stop playing the game to read or listen to respectively. Though the game looks absolutely fantastic, the steak is somewhat flimsy in comparison to the sizzle because of the design choices in terms of telling without showing.
Technical issues are obvious especially when un-pausing the game as the framerate drops dramatically; an issue that also occurs during massive firefights. While the physics during combat are wonderful, there’s a certain level of unrealistic stiffness during the cutscenes that’s reminiscent of last gen “Fallout”.
The positives of “Control” – the gameplay, the environment & environmental damage, and meaningful collectibles – are worthy of the praise dished out by the gaming community, but the game is heavily flawed including having terrible pacing & execution in regards to the main narrative, lackluster enemy variation, and some navigation design choices. No game is perfect, but very few have been given such high praise without warranting said full recommendation unanimously.
Should You Play “Control”?
There’s a lot to enjoy about “Control” especially when someone is experiencing the best the game has to offer when engaged in combat. The Oldest House is a magnificent place to journey through even if the map is generally no help. And the plot it ripe with information just waiting for the player to take in, but only if they search for the truth. For those who enjoy a mix of great action and an unforgettable setting featuring lacking enemy variations, disappointing main boss battles, and a story that tries to exposition players to death, this is a perfect game. For others it may be too flawed in areas where and when it matters most even in regards to one of the game’s biggest draw points of exploring this vast world within New York. But no matter if want to pay full price or wait for a slight sale (the latter would definitely be for the best), just remember to always keep watching the refrigerator and “The Threshold Kids”.
