2025-04-24 23:56:37

It's amazing how you can interact with enviroment and move around in this game. Feels like you're always in CONTROL.

2025-04-23 11:54:12

This review comes years after I completed the game. Its balance, aesthetics, and rich storytelling truly stand out. My boyfriend encouraged me to play Alan Wake first for a better understanding of the world, and I did. While it’s possible to enjoy this game without playing AW, doing so does spark additional curiosity.

I loved how engrossing the story became as it unfolded. I often felt like I was using a console, even with my Discord being bombarded with messages—I hardly noticed!

In my opinion, it’s a well-polished game, but kinda ends you to a cliff hanger. There are plenty of notes scattered throughout, and I enjoy reading them. The Easter eggs found on whiteboards, walls, and in NPC dialogues are fantastic.

I definitely recommend it if you want to immerse yourself in lore and unanswered questions. Just kidding—play it!

2025-04-22 09:34:02

Control looks mysterious and appealing, the premise is actually really engaging and there is so much to like about it. However, I was utterly bored for most parts as the gameplay became so stale after the novelty wears off.

In essence, you're trapped in a building that shifts in its architecture while otherworldly elements are actively manipulating everything. The protagonist has an intriguing background story and the game starts off great, really pushing you to explore more. The game looks fantastic and the soundscape is equally impressive.

Unfortunately, this game feels like a lackluster Metroidvania with an open world that has side quests for some odd reason. The combat is serviceable and feels good but there isn't much variety to it. You'll be using the same moves and weapons the entire time and it gets old really fast.

As mentioned, the premise of the game is intriguing but the game doesn't do much to develop the core ideas. There are a million documents to read and it quickly halted the flow of Control to a point where I skipped them. There are also audio logs and messages relayed via a phone and you can only listen to these in a menu where the same video is being replayed. It's such an odd decision that really drags down the exposition.

I don't know, I tried to push through it but nothing drew me in so I just stopped playing. Your mileage may vary.

2025-04-21 05:20:14

The combat is the best part, and though the homages to SCP are REALLY on the nose sometimes, it's all in good fun. Would be interested to learn more of the lore of the world, but the story was really second-place to the gameplay.

2025-04-15 23:11:17

So, after probably a year, I was finally able to complete Control.

"Control" is a game that demands time and attention. It doesn’t tolerate rushing, but it rewards you for immersing yourself in its world. The game is crafted brilliantly: graphics, gameplay, atmosphere — everything is top-notch.

1) The Main Game
The main campaign is a highlight of the experience. Exploring every corner of the Oldest House feels rewarding, as each location has its own unique style and meaning. One of the standout features is how the game doesn’t hold your hand. There’s always a mission to guide you, but how you approach it is entirely up to you. Sooner or later, by exploring the vast environment, you’ll naturally progress through the story.

The game also introduces mechanics gradually, immersing you deeper into its strange and fascinating world. Boss battles are memorable, and the locations are diverse, encouraging curiosity and exploration.

2) DLC: The Foundation
"The Foundation" is an excellent DLC that expands the story and adds new mechanics. However, be prepared to do a lot of running, as you’ll essentially need to explore the map twice if you’re aiming for achievements or collectibles. Despite the extra effort, this DLC feels like a natural extension of the base game, offering even more depth to the world of Control.

3) DLC: AWE
Unfortunately, "AWE" didn’t resonate with me as much as the rest of the game. This DLC leans heavily into the Alan Wake universe, creating a darker, flashlight-focused experience. While technically well-executed, the constant gloom and reliance on light mechanics felt repetitive to me. That said, it’s a short DLC, so it doesn’t overstay its welcome. Fans of Alan Wake might appreciate the crossover elements more than I did.

Overall Experience
All three parts of the game — the main campaign, "The Foundation," and "AWE" — work together harmoniously to create a cohesive and captivating experience. Visually, the game still looks stunning, though some filters may make certain areas feel slightly dated if you look too closely.

The community around the game is fantastic, with players taking full advantage of the photo mode to capture breathtaking screenshots. This adds another layer of appreciation for the game’s atmosphere.

Final Thoughts
In conclusion, "Control" is a masterclass in storytelling, level design, and atmosphere. While some DLCs may appeal more to specific audiences, the overall package is a must-play for fans of action-adventure games. Whether you’re drawn to its mysterious plot, its satisfying combat, or its eerie yet beautiful world, "Control" offers an unforgettable journey into the unknown.

2025-04-14 22:46:56

Control is a stunning, mind-bending experience, with jaw-dropping visuals, nice combat, and a decent? story. Which is great, because I’m also constantly guessing whether the next five minutes will involve playing the game or hard-rebooting my entire PC.

It doesn’t crash often. Just every time I’m having fun. It waits until I’m emotionally invested, then shuts everything down and pretends nothing happened.

At this point, I don’t know if I’m fighting paranormal entities or just the game’s code. Either way, I lose.
Shame, that it's too buggy to be enjoyable.

2025-04-12 19:56:57

Decent action game centered around the SCP community. The gameplay and powers you obtain make the combat very enjoyable. The story did not capture my interest as strongly, but was enough to keep me engaged. Overall a solid game and worth a few hours even just for the combat.

2025-04-08 15:18:11

Long story short: Great game with a great story with many unique gameplay mechanics.
I haven;t beaten the game just yet but in the 2 days I've owned it I had made major progress.
For anyone looking for a great story/puzzle game with great graphics I insist on checking this game out.

2025-04-04 15:33:02

This review might be long and confusing and all over the place, It's because I really don't know where to start. The CONTROL experience is just surreal. This is like playing in a Christopher Nolan film. With that said, It really did feel like it had Christopher Nolan touch to it by how REMEDY constructed the storytelling of the game and also the intricacy of the cinematography. But the vibe/theme? Instantly felt like it was from Guillermo Del Toro and Stephen King.

First, I wanna talk about the UI of the game. It is just so freaking simple! and I love it!!!! Perfect for someone who just wanted to game and chill. You don't have to think deeply about the upgrades. Why? You only have 8 things to upgrade. 3 of them are basic stuff like health, stamina and melee damage. 4 of those upgrades are your skills that you will acquire throughout the game. And lastly, the 8th upgrade is your service weapon. Now, with your skills, each of them has a simple talent tree that you will surely find easy to follow. And with the service weapon? You have like 6 weapons to choose and you can carry 2. so whatever floats your boat upgrade the gun you find interesting and fun to use. Upgrading your skills and gun will bear no burden because you will get to progress those naturally on your gameplay.


Second, I will now talk about the gameplay mechanics for this game and let me tell you IT IS FRIGGING FUN!!!!!!!!!!! The moment you get the "LAUNCH" skill It will change the gameplay and it will further evolve if you finally get the "LEVITATE" skill. Why? BECAUSE IT'S LEVITATE!!! THAT MEANS YOU CAN GET TO FLOAT AROUND THE OLDEST HOUSE!!!! And I guarantee you, once you have it you'll look more badass from above. You can get to launch things at them like magneto while floating. With efficient mechanics like that it really works on me. TOTALLY SOLD!!


Might be the last thing for me to tackle are the Story/Lore/Environment/DLC's

The story is quite forward. The moment you entered the FBC that was it. Just give it a few minutes of searching then you will now have your service weapon and from there it will now be a crazy ride but, don't expect too much because the story is somewhat cliche for me but I cannot deny the feeling that it had the effects of how Stephen King and Christopher Nolan would write a story. In the settings of a horror/mystery, You went to the FBC to probe on the whereabouts of your brother but got only entangled into some cosmic entities stuff and some crazy anomaly encounters. *not close to eldtrich horror* *YET*.

The world environment of control is just amazing. It's a FBC building they call the *OLDEST HOUSE* somewhere in New York but it's not your ordinary building as it was stated in one of the logs that the OLDEST HOUSE itself is an object of power. So the rooms are forever changing and shifting therefore, You will encounter some mind blowing shit there like for an example a FUCKING BLACK ROCK QUARRY!!! A QUARRY???? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA just what the actual frogs!!

Now with LORE, This is the moneybag!!! I AM LOSING IT WITH THE SHARED REMEDYVERSE!!!!! This is what keeps the game more interesting because of this very concept of shared universe!!!!!!! The way it was connected to Alan Wake *and hopefully Quantum Break*. It keeps the previous game interesting to look back and play. They made sure that the FBC took a hold on the Alan Wake situation with the assistance of the FBI! But in the conclusion of AWE DLC, It was clearly a setup for Alan Wake 2. *I know I'm late to the party* NOW WHERE THE FUCK IS ALAN WAKE 2!!!!!!!!!!! I have been watching clips of ALAN WAKE 2 hinting that there will be a CONTROL 2!!!!!!!!!!
STEAM!!! DO SOMETHING!!!!!! BRING ALAN WAKE 2 HERE!!!!!!!

Anyway, so yea, I'm also hyped to play AW2 as long as they will put it here on STEAM.
With the conclusion of the FOUNDATION DLC, It might seem to serve the next catalyst event for CONTROL. Because of how Dylan hinted something on ALAN WAKE 2. Not sure for it but my conspiracy theorist ass is shaking. HAHAHAHAH.





With all the things I said, every bit of it works for me. It was simple and fun and I already wrote this before but a game is not a game if it wasn't fun. IT'S TORTURE!!!! And you don't have to implement crazy mechanics just to make your game interesting BUT! BUT BE SURE TO MAKE UP FOR IT! Like make the story compelling to the players. Write a lore that will forever haunt us! Like how Stephen King wrote his novels. *I don't really follow SK's literature but the films that got adapted from his works is something I don't miss.*

Soooo,I would give this game a solid 9/10.
PROPS TO REMEDY and NORTHLIGHT for creating a masterpiece!
Before I forget, HIDEO KOJIMA is also there!!!! HAHAHAHAH GODDAMN! Sir is almost everywhere!!!


For the million dollar question,
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE REMEDYVERSE??!!!!!!

2025-04-02 17:18:26

[h1]Out of all Remedy’s unique ideas, this one is just really solid. Because so many of its elements I’ve already seen in other games, it just didn’t strike any personal chord with me.[/h1]
[b]Remedy’s Control is a peculiar concept with impressive environmental destructivity and dynamic psychic fights. However, I can’t shake off the feeling that the idea was kind of underutilized.[/b]

In search of her missing brother Jesse Faden infiltrates the Federal Bureau of Control – the branch of the US government considered by most just as a conspiracy theory. The HQ of the branch, The Oldest House is a constantly shifting building with twisted corridors leading to peculiar places. Will Jesse find her way around such a place?



It’s certainly a unique idea – a really bizarre world full of mysteries to explore. An organization that catalogues all these different events that you play games for.
However, the main plot just didn’t grip me – and I feel it’s because of two main reasons. One, I always felt distracted by being sent somewhere to first fix this and that, go fight the Hiss, help some random people from the Bureau (which we don’t trust, but now we’re part of the branch so whatever) - all before getting to the meat of the plot – you know, the missing brother, what happened to them as kids or what’s with the Hiss. The only main beats of the story I do remember are [spoiler]Jesse becomes director, we find Dylan, he gets taken by the Hiss, we defeat him[/spoiler]. Oh, and Polaris I guess. Besides these points and running around like an errand girl, there wasn’t many more interesting things except...

The second point is that there [i][b]is[/b][/i] more meat in the plot, it’s just not really delivered to the player well. Take the whole Ordinary incident – it is referenced in dialogue a few times, but to actually know what happened you need to read through notes. Notes and audiobooks should be supplementary material to broaden the lore of the world. It’s fine, but the incident in Ordinary is such a cool concept and so important to the story, that I wondered why it is so easily missable.

Not everyone likes to read through a video game – too much of Control feels like it’s in the notes. You either don’t read them and miss out or stop every minute to read through a document, half of which is redacted and then another big chunk of it is just uninteresting (mainly the internal memos, object/incident descriptions were really cool). The whole “redacted” thing was only working in AWE DLC, because if you played the referenced game, you have a fun little gap puzzle to solve in your mind.

The atmosphere is certainly something, but I’ve played through so many secret labs/government facilities filled with internal memos to read, that I just couldn’t get invested. The Oldest House’s constantly shifting nature is implied through weird geometry, blocked passages and contradictory spaces, but not a lot is actually happening when the player is watching. Besides the Ashtray Maze, the only thing that seems confusing is which level of the map you’re currently on. There is also the matter of the lack of creatures in the game – there are objects doing weird stuff, but the absence of some wacky monsters just makes it a worse SCP.



Enough with dunking on the game however, there was a lot of other stuff I really liked. The Altered Items have cool abilities, containment procedures and stories. Encounters alternating between dialogue and internal thoughts were interesting. Specific incidents happening in the facility, the Ordinary event, references to other games. There are also secret places, pictures hinting at hidden space behind a wall – I just wish there was more to find besides more notes and item chests.

The Hiss is a nice idea for an antagonist. This foreign resonance, a faceless entity intruding and disrupting life is really unique and aesthetically executed very well. While the game isn’t really a horror, if you just stop and think for a minute about these possessed, floating figures, it can really get you creeped out.



Gameplay, although chaotic, appealed to me a lot more. Jesse gets a gun that can shoot in different modes – stuff resembling a pistol, shotgun, machine pistol or a bazooka. You can also find/craft mods for guns and Jesse to give them stat boosts.
Jesse gets various psychic abilities when interacting with the Altered Items. Telekinesis, levitation, shield and mind bending. When completing missions and finding secrets you get points you can spend on making these abilities stronger.

Combat’s very dynamic, but also chaotic. Mixing shooting with utilizing abilities works really well and creates a good spectacle, especially with how destructive the environments are. Enemies have different types and specialties, so it is important to not get surrounded. I just wish there was some option to regenerate a little health in other ways. When you get low the only thing you can do is rush someone to kill him and pick up his health – which in on itself is just risky.
Building your favorite weapons with good mods really makes a difference and encourages finding a personal favorite playstyle.

The Foundation DLC was really cool, but the AWE was what really gripped me. It was frankly the part of the game I was the most invested in. Although it is 2025, and Alan Wake II is already out, in the past this DLC must’ve been a really interesting teaser for the fans of the original. While I was mad at the number of notes to read through in this game, in AWE I read them with immense interest. It also finally has some sort of a creature in this SCP wannabe.



The game looks great, it has detailed environments that are interesting and also pretty interactive – explosions and things swishing around make papers go flying and stuff. I liked the character models; however, I don’t know if it’s just me, but some facial expressions seemed uncanny. It's animated really cool though.
The game has a great and crisp sound design – it has this bass boosted Science Fiction-esque sounds of yanking boxes around, and ambiance really fitting the atmosphere of the Bureau. Really good voice acting. There is of course the obligatory musical section of every Remedy game played by The Old Gods of Asgard (PotF).

The performance was subpar, but I’ll chalk it up to my short misadventure with using Linux for gaming – so don’t take my word on how it works generally, it’s probably fine.



I dunked on the game a lot, but I think it’s a really good product. Gameplay is a spectacle, the story really weird, but also peculiar. There are just a lot of elements that I feel I’ve already seen in some form in other games. Ideas like AWEs and the Oldest House are amazing, I just think there was so much more potential with them. It’s great, but I think I just expected something different from Remedy. Out of all their unique ideas like Quantum Break or Alan Wake – Control is just a solid one, that didn’t strike any personal chord with me.

[h1]Catch these ducks or I swear to God, I’ll put you on the Fridge Duty again![/h1]