Control is so creative and atmospheric that tester Elena still thinks about it regularly, even six years later. Now the Ultimate Edition is available on Steam at a lower price than ever before.
Control is a strange game in many ways. I still clearly remember the review I wrote back in 2019 – in a very critical tone. That’s because I felt the actual shooter gameplay lacked finesse and variety. Battles quickly degenerated into rehearsed choreography, and many missions turned out to be cleverly disguised fetch quests:
I still stand by that today, but somehow I still want to apologize to Control. Because there is so much more to Remedy’s shooter. Even six years later, I still think back with a pleasant shiver to the clever level design, brimming with hidden stories, or the thick atmosphere.
A game doesn’t have to be perfect to leave a lasting impression, and for less than $4, I would recommend Control in the Ultimate Edition with both DLCs to almost anyone.
A shooter for the curious
Control doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to shooter or mission design. Nevertheless, Remedy has delivered an exceptional game that illustrates the studio’s strengths in an almost surreal way. Jesse’s journey through the Oldest House, home to the Federal Bureau of Control, stands out thanks to its creative, multi-layered world design, which is unparalleled in the shooter world.
The seemingly cold, bleak, brutalist building with its concrete walls and minimalist offices appears to be alive and constantly changing. Walls, doors, corridors, space and time – all these constants become mere suggestions that I cannot rely on.
The agency, which deals with paranormal phenomena, seems otherworldly itself. This forces me to question everything at all times, which builds incredible tension: a door is almost never just a door, a radio almost never just a radio. This sends eerie shivers down my spine, but also creates a pleasant tension that constantly arouses my curiosity.
Why first impressions can be deceptive
Because in every corner of this unreal world, secrets and even truly relevant rewards such as additional abilities await me. My actual tasks seem just as simple and straightforward as the building’s first impression. But when I look deeper, an ocean of secrets and ambiguities is revealed here as well.
For example, the Ashtray Labyrinth with its driving rock soundtrack is one of the best I’ve played in recent years – everything just fits together perfectly here. And the Self-Reflection Quest, in which I encounter an alternative version of my world and myself, is just as exciting as it is eerie – and unexpected.
You can play Control like a conventional shooter and enjoy the pretty graphics and atmospheric lighting. But the facade is deceptive in terms of gameplay and narrative as well. Everywhere, there are hidden files, audio recordings, secret tasks, or simply environmental details that tell me a completely different story and reward my urge to explore. This is the only way I can really find out what Jesse’s task and the fate of the office are all about.
