CONTROL Ultimate Edition Review for Google Stadia

CONTROL Ultimate Edition, by Remedy Entertainment, is a third person action-adventure game that takes you out of the world through visual performance. I constantly thought about Inception while I was playing, because you are thrown into a unsettlingly scenario where the world is not as it seems. You know nothing about the existential threat in front of you, what your character’s motivation is, or what the Bureau of Control is. Everything unfolds through a series of psychedelic/dreamscape cutscenes and internal monologues.

I love a good mystery, and you already get the sense that there is a lot to learn from the moment you walk into the government building. We play as Jesse, the (new) Director of the Bureau of Control. She hints at personal reason for coming to this facility, one namely being for her brother. Jesse possesses the unique disposition of being immune to the Hiss, a phenomenon wreaking havoc on the headquarters. Other characters have become possessed by this malevolent energy. Fewer have been fortunate enough to have equipment to safeguard their minds.

Typical of role-playing games, you are free to roam the confines of the Bureau. Access to certain regions is blocked off for plot reasons or for special credentials. You can easily access the map, and for every point of control that you retake from the Hiss, you can use the fast travel feature. There are some lore items littered throughout the facility; some documents are redacted, but others give more substance to the world. There was a cool moment in beginning when you first explore the building; you can see the portraits of Director Trench all over the place. After you become Director, your face appears on the posters. That’s a cool subtle detail, but I’m sure we were supposed to notice.

The gameplay in CONTROL Ultimate Edition is pretty decent. You have the generic movement keys and can jump/vault across surfaces. The world often breaks apart into strange geometric shapes and abstract realms where you need to maneuver around like Lara Croft. The transition back into the Bureau is really well done, giving you a sense of interchangeability and not knowing which world is real. Combat is fun. I would have liked a cover system to hug walls and barriers, but it is an otherwise enjoyable, fast-paced, shooter. I thought about Neo and Trinity blasting security in the Matrix many times while running and gunning in the office space. There are boss sequences as well to change up your tactics. There is not much to think about other than dodging bullets and letting your gun recharge. You can also utilize a melee attack when the enemy gets close.

The voice acting is good, as well as the character design. There are moments with live action footage (or maybe it was just really good graphics) that occur within the cutscenes. The whole situation with Jesse is interesting. She is talking to you and/or herself in these interesting 4th wall moments. She contemplates not telling the staff who she is. She is reluctant to divulge information to the Bureau, due to her mistrust of the organization. There are many examples, but it feels a little different from what I usually find in games with a mystery. It almost feels like a mental fracturing or disorder either inside Jesse’s head or of the world itself. I’m still intrigued and am having fun. I think a fair rating for this title is a 9 out of 10. I would highly recommend CONTROL Ultimate Edition for your collection, especially for its visual novelty.

For more information and regular updates on Control, please visit www.controlgame.com and follow on Twitter @ControlRemedy.

You can check out the CONTROL Ultimate Edition Trailer here – https://youtu.be/rNWLmAEHSSY

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Google Stadia Review

9/10

John Pruitt

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I like to think of myself as the average Joe who grew up alongside video games. I have fun playing strategy games, RPGs, shooters, sandboxes, the whole shebang! Every game provides an experience whether it strikes you as profound, mundane, or someplace in between. I'd like to weigh in my two cents before you spend a single penny.