Control is a game that deserves attention for delivering a good mix of action and horror. It resonated with me a lot because the gameplay is very similar to the Infamous series which I adored growing up. I played Control about a year ago, but never got around to finishing this review. It’s a very unique game whose eventual sequel I am excited for. As a final note before we begin this review, Control is unique in that its lead designer Paul Ehreth is a practicing Catholic, learn his story in Catoons’s article covering Christian game developers or through Word on Fire’s gaming podcast.

Story

The story of Control has you playing as Jessie Faden as she tries to find her long lost brother Dylan. This takes you to the ominous Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) who is tasked with containing and weaponizing the paranormal. Jessie soon learns that everything at the FBC has fallen into chaos and she is reluctantly tasked with containing the evil the FBC has released. The story will take you for quite the ride with its high stakes and its shocking twists. 

Gameplay

Control is an action adventure game similar to other titles like Spider-Man (2018) and Infamous. You have a variety of powers at your disposal such as the ability to throw things from the environment, dash quickly, and other destructive powers as you make your way through the game. Your main weapon is a strange gun known as the Service Weapon which has the ability to change forms such as basic pistol, shotgun, or even a rocket launcher. With this set of tools, you will face off against the Hiss, government agents who have become possessed by a paranormal force bent on destruction. You feel very powerful, however the enemies are just as strong as you which creates a fun dynamic and makes you responsible for how your engagements go. I rarely felt cheated and knew that my deaths came from bad plays. All of these factors mesh really well to create a fun gameplay loop that had me coming back for more and more. The other half of Control is horror, which are parts of the game where you aren’t focused on fighting enemies, but are given trippy scenes to play through. These scenes help advance the story or set up a fight while giving you a cool set piece to experience such as a room being flipped upside down as you solve puzzles or the walls around you changing as you move. They showcase the uniqueness of video games as a medium for storytelling by their interactive nature that further immerses players into the distorted nature of the FBC as the darkness unleashed upon the world is felt firsthand and not simply seen through pre-rendered cutscenes.  

Music/Sound

The music of Control did a really good job at setting the atmosphere of the FBC building. You are given a huge sense of mystery and dread at the horrors that have been unleashed upon mankind. Sections of the game use Finnish folk music from the story’s janitor Ahti which really adds to the creepiness. However the original music used in fights I can’t say was very memorable, but there are occasionally licensed metal songs that really do get your adrenaline pumping. Now speaking of sound design the developers deserve lots of praise as sound immerses you into the power fantasy of Control. Every shot from your weapon feels powerful as they are loud and ring in your ears, abilities such as the telekinetic pulls and pushes have great audio feedback as well as memorable sounds when used. Ambient sounds add to the horror very well, such as the many moments in the game where the only audio playing is an old telephone ringing. I can’t say for sure why, but it filled me with so much unease and suspense. Overall audiophiles will be left drooling at how good this game sounds. 

Graphics

Control takes a realistic approach to its Graphics which are very life-like. They are what you would expect from a AAA release. However, pretty graphics aren’t the only thing as the game’s art direction is superb. The FBC building is themed after 80s office spaces, but since this is a horror game most of it has been altered by dark forces. These dark forces manipulate the minimalist/brutalist architecture of the building in bizarre ways such as creating mazes, flipping things upside down, and changing as you move. This leads to many cool set pieces. The UI also has a very cool minimalist approach that uses black and red that is reminiscent of the UI of the Nintendo Switch. There are also loading screens which use hypnotic patterns which are pleasing to the eyes but at the same time leave the player with a sense of unease. 

Faith Connections 

What can Control teach us about our faith? Well it shows us the reality of the spiritual world, a world where the forces of good and evil are constantly in battle. Angels and demons are very real, despite many people telling us that they were clever fables to symbolize life’s mysteries and troubles. It also shows us that the occult is dangerous as the FBC was almost destroyed by trying to study and control the paranormal. Rather than fight demons with the Service Weapon like Jesse we can perhaps pray a Rosary or to St. Joseph, Terror of Demons. 

I also want to comment on the game’s view of the divine. What is said might not be completely accurate as the game has a lot of story and lore and I never took the time to study or reflect upon deeply. Control seems to be heavily inspired by Lovecraft, where there are many powerful forces above humanity that are evil or at least self-interested. They see humanity as pests or pawns to use in their schemes. This isn’t exactly friendly to a Catholic theology as we believe that the divine, God, is self sufficient, and doesn’t need humanity like the beings in the world of Control seem to. God is also for us and wants our good, he wants us to be in Heaven with Him and does everything in his power to make that happen. To close this section, ponder this quote from the great St. Catherine of Siena: “Everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man, God does nothing without that goal in mind”.

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