Games shouldn't shy away from being enjoyed once and being "done". My memories of games that I can play once and be satisfied are far fonder than the games I have to play multiple times to justify my feelings for it. The difference between playing a game again because you _want_ to and because the game _tells_ you to is staggering.
Outer Wilds for example, you can only genuinely play it how it's designed once. A second playthrough completely erases the entire foundation of the gameplay, which is to gain knowledge about the world. Once you know it all, it's done. Playing it again literally feels pointless. And it was pretty much one of the most special and memorable games I've ever played.
Nier Replicant is one of my favorite games ever made and after getting the E ending I haven’t and won’t play it again but even so it’s still a 10/10 for me :D
I still enjoyed Subnautica and Prey the second time even knowing what would happen. I'll never play AC Odyssey again even if I've seen like 10% of the map in 80 hours...
@@iiiivvvv9986how cool is that… connecting the paranatural and the redacted in a perfect and infinitely misterious place, like a kid imageining what weird things could exist just out of sight and what an older version of that child could imagine when envisioning what could be hidden behind the closed vaults of an Area 51 type of place, but actually hidden in plain sight. God i could go on for hours about this game man
11:32 it's amazing how easily and effectively you were able to drive home the importance of having unique mundane sounds just by playing an alarm from Star Wars. Well done.
@@Crocogator Ditto. I remember the trailer for Rogue One that featured the klaxon heavily, and everybody was complaining about it... But I thought it was the *perfect* trailer. It immediately told me a great deal about the film with just one sound effect, and how many trailers can do that?
Jesse's character defining characteristics is that she's not reckless or a power hungry maniac or anything like that. That was kind of the whole point. The previous directors were like that and they're the reason the oldest house is in the state its in. Jesse feels more comfortable in the role of a janitor and as a result she's what the oldest house needs, not only to fight off the hiss but to maintain the oldest house itself.
jess has no military experience and yet she does more fighting than most super heroes do in their life time. She is like a Mary Sue, if they lowered the combat and increased the puzzles like tomb raider... the old games i mean, it would be more believable.
man, you got a real talent for getting me hyped for a game to the point that im about to click the checkout button only to immediately destroy my enthusiasm just before I do
This is one review. I enjoyed this game, but I loved the atmosphere and the story. You can also get it cheap. It’s not perfect, but I’ve played a lot worse. The setting is very original.
I enjoyed this game so much, that I had to restrain myself in order to not overhype it to the people I wanted to recommend it. Art is subjective and sometimes things don't work. At times, Control felt like a bit less zany and less out there version of SCP or X-Files. There are sections of this game I would've wanted more of, more shown and interacted with, less told... And yet, I have enjoyed every bit (except combat was a bit too hard for my taste, while Raicevick have found it laughably easy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ). It didn't feel sloppy, unfinished, unearnest, or careless - Remedy gave it everything they've got and I've loved it. Would you? I can't promise that.
25:27 Remedy and Poets of The Fall intentionally did not add "Take Control" into Content ID. You can't get copyright claims for the song. They knew that people would be making videos and streaming the game and there's no reason to punish them for enjoying a product.
Hello, this is Ville Sorsa the Audio Lead of Control. It has been our intent to include all narrative related custom music tracks into our games in such way that people who are streaming our games will not get copyright strikes and viewers can enjoy the experience as intended. Remedy wants to support streaming, so kindly get in touch with me if you are incorrectly flagged by algorithm, we are always looking ways to improve the process, thank you.
@@villesorsa6697 This reinforces why I love Remedy and will continue to support them. You guys care about the people who play your games and it means a lot.
@@villesorsa6697 I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy this game enough, but regardless of that I'll be picking it up next time I see it on sale just because of this awesome comment.
Yakuza is a strange case, after playing all 8 mainline games I thought I would be burned/bored but not... I actually want to play them again. Let's hope one day Raycevick gives the series a chance!
@@davidbaguetta127 with the yakuza games so far for me each game has been different amd had enough different side activities that it hasnt gotten stale. Plus in order to keep it from getting stale with yakuza 7, they changed ths combat to turn based from beat em up. So while they reuse assets, each game is different from one another. Ive played 0, kiwami, and kiwami 2 and each has felt different and had different things to do around the maps
I love your ending statements. Remedy didn’t set out with the intention of making a game that could please everyone; they made a game they loved and hoped people would love. It takes courage to do that. I’m playing through control now and while yeah, I can see the faults in the combat/story but I love the fact that this game doesn’t feel like it’s pandering to everyone.
I agree 100% I've discussed this with friends that if developers focused more on the game they wanted to create, instead of pandering to what would make people want to play it, they could make an insanely fabulous game Many examples of games have been made with this in mind (only ones i can think of is Hotline Miami 1 and 2, Control, Alan Wake, KOA Reckoning and more i can't think of right now) and each one is an amazing game (imo)
@@AnthonyFlames275 the thing is, stupid dumb youtuber and gamers would whine about it and get angry because they think devs have to follow their every command
Dr. Casper Darling may have been my favorite thing about this game. Sinking myself into his video logs scattered throughout the adventure was just a great experience. That and the altered item text logs, which shocked me with how much they sucked me in.
I played Control on PS4 at launch and it's framerate would TANK during hectic combat (i.e. most encounters). I finished it, but walked away not loving it the way so many others did. Watching this definitely makes me want to replay it on a nice PC
I played Control well after launch and the frame rate would stutter while bringing up the map. It had some nice particle effects and a bit of that classic Remedy weirdness but it just fell flat to me. The combat was fun but inconsistently chaotic and the checkpoint system was terrible.
You'd do yourself a favor by replaying it on the PS5! Barely any hitches whatsoever in framerate! And you can choose between 30 FPS (with ray-tracing) or 60 FPS. 🙂
I don't think your opinion would change much. Worldbuilding, exploration, and the narrative are the strongest aspects and reasons to love this game in my opinion. The combat is fun at the start but gets very repetitive. Still the best feeling telekinesis powers ever.
I too have finally played Control! The game consistently blew me away just with the sheer amount of interactivity with the environment. I remember one time I was wandering around and one of those projectors started playing. I accidentally grabbed it with the launch button, and it starts floating in the air, still playing the video! I start walking back and forth, and the thing acts like a real projector, the image getting bigger and smaller, spinning around and up and down. Totally blew my mind. Like the game’s great, the basic loop is fun as hell, but it’s these little moments where any other game wouldn’t have taken the time to model how the projector works as it spins around and moves back and forth with your telekinesis that made me have so much fun with it. How many people are going to find that? But fuck when they do? You have a moment like that that sucks you in. So cool.
@@TechyBen I've been meaning to play Half Life 2 since it came out. All I've ever heard is it's a masterpiece but I never got to sit down and actually play it. That sounds pretty crazy if they did that decades ago! Haha just more incentive to check it out.
@@hanklestank It is older now. Some of the things were done in HL1, or in other games, but HL2 did showcase a few things well (physics, projection mapping/video in game, fire and lighting effects, destruction in the expansion etc).
@@hanklestank Control - its a one of games, what should be today. Like Half-Life 2. That isn't perfect - put its enjoyable. Physics, Sound Engineering, Art-Work. That all is fuckin masterpiece.
I feel like, similar to Control's inspiration SCP, I had more fun playing in Control's sandbox than playing with the sand itself. I let the gameplay take a back seat to the sheer joy of taking part in a bizarre world with its own rules, and I adored thinking about all those new rules as I explored the Oldest House. Combat was just a tool to move on to more exploration.
Yes. This. I have eliminated with violence millions of digital enemies in a million ways in my life. Even to the point that it doesn't quite feel like it used to. It takes a lot to get my attention for combat. As a result, I have been turning to games that are more focused on exploration/art. We can't forget the explorative and artistic impact that games can have. Control's combat was good, but I played it because of the setting, environment, physics concepts, exploration, art/architecture, and sound design. I felt the same way about Assassin's Creed Odyssey. There were a lot of people who got the game ONLY because they wanted to be an assassin...I was thrilled when I got to meet Hippocrates.
Exactly how i took it, combat felt like a sacrifice and it was extremely scary to me. It felt like i really was the director of an agency and i had to protect the people in it and do what needs to be done to then explore further all of the secrets of the Oldest House. This mirrors exactly to a tee how Jesse feels throughout the game, starting with wanting to save her brother and go on a personal and curious journey into something she always dreamt to be a part of, the supernatural and the redacted, and specifically where those two concepts meet, and then being given the CEO title immediately having the burden of protecting the people in the department, like a big weird and new, but strangely familiar and almost like it always was meant to be family, along with protecting the world. I love how the game doesn’t properly end, giving space for a sequel and leaving the mistery very much alive, in the personal story of Jesse and her brother and in the lore and story of the Oldest House, and it’s inhabitants. Brilliant experience throughout.
@@megabeetlejuicer96 same here! the hiss genuinely unnerves and horrifies me, and i really wish i could purge it from the bureau for good, but then there would be no more game.
Control is now one of my favorite games of all time. The world was so immersive and The Oldest House is such a compelling location for me to explore, and The Board and Former were such fascinating entities to learn about. The Board: You/We wield the gun/you. Everything about that came tickles me just the right way.
If you are looking for more interesting video essays about Control, I highly recommend Jacob Geller's video about architecture in games. He might actually have a few of those.
Which is why I'm so disappointed that there will be no more DLC for Control. Remedy built this amazing world they can tell stories in, but there aren't going to be any more stories.
I had an idea of what the game was about when I got it - stuff about SCP and House of Leaves - but I wasn't sure how well it would sell the world. Then I read the first collectible in the game: the Prohibited Items Reminder at the building entrance. It starts off with pretty normal things, no unauthorized weapons, no recording/communication devices in the secure facility, all pretty reasonable. Then it bans number 2 pencils, and "any objects considered iconic representations of an archetypal concept," including rubber ducks and ketchup bottles. That was when I was confident Remedy had pulled it off. The writing is phenomenal, and it's an awesome world to explore.
This game definitely has some issues, but its writing is probably the game's most compelling ingredient - same with Alan Wake. Plus, the Ashtray Maze is now amongst my favourite video game moments ever.
@@arsenelupin9697 yeah, the moment they connect two universes, and you can not understand, is it Wake inside the Control universe or vice versa - I was amazed, really. Also, part with the Thing in the astronaut suit is just hilarious
@@Psychedel1x Oh yeah, it definitely had fun elements, but on top of suffering from the same problems, the main game had, the DLCs were pretty sparse on actual new/interesting content. It was like 90% more arena fights and only 10% neat story stuff - which, as I said in my first comment, was the reason I enjoyed this game in the first place. The combat in Remedy games is always the "worst" stuff ^^ I wish that I could get this story and setting in an Adventure game of sorts.
The story is about you becoming the janitor’s assistant so yeah your job is to clean up messes on cosmic scale. Best thing about Control? It hints at Alan Wake sequel!
I love Control. The combat, the story, the set-up is amazing. I love the sound filter they use for The Board, it's so ominous but calming at the same time.
@@thimblebirb While doing some game design myself I've often found myself in the situation where many ideas that I personally found cool would conflict with each other and simply not work together, despite the ideas themselves being cool on their own. Adding them all together just because they are cool would result in a poor experience for the player. The same thing happens when you try to please everyone. Rather than finding your niche and excelling in it you end up creating a Frankenstein of a game and thereby losing all your audiences.
Though yeah, Jesse has gaps in her journey, might've not have as strong of a development, but I loved Jesse so much, she's a weird person, she's new yet familiar in this world that she's thrust in, and it's an incredible joy to explore it alongside her, experience this weird world in a way I wish I could myself, and she had the odd feeling of, a good friend that you're going on an adventure with in your childhood. She's an incredibly fun person, and I could relate o her strongly, even if that might've just been me. Control at large might've not been the strongest action game, the best narritive, but it has all the character in the world, it has passion and lifeblood poured into it, and it is one of my favourites
Jesse is the perfect self-insert. She has character traits-she's bright, energetic, has self-doubt, and questions her environment, but all of her traits are anchors for the player to latch onto and project themselves. It's a delicate balance, and I really got attached to Jesse. I hope she goes far as Director!
I also think that to a certain extent, her lack of agency throughout the game feeds into the game's themes of control. Whether or not it works for you, I feel like there was probably a conscious decision to have her be told what to do by Polaris, the Board, and the other people in the Bureau
I initially thought Jesse could be that typical brooding character out to destroy the company because they took her brother. But color me surprised when Jesse was an actual fun character. I loved her, probably one of my favorite videogame characters.
I absolutely loved Control when it was first released. Always wanted a sequel to "Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy", and this is darn near it!!! Also loved the whole brutalism design of the building, something you virtually never see in games. Also really liked the whole SCP Foundation-esque vibe the whole place had. (which I read was their main inspiration)
I highly recommend Twin Peaks (The Return mostly but you need to see the original before it) if you want to experience the main inspiration behind Control and Alan Wake in tv form. Incredible series.
Control sucks its the worst remedy game, it does everything wrong, the graphics suck, the performance is awful, the level design is a confusing mess, the camera is awful and i cant aim and hit anything due to the bad controls, makes me feel as if i havent play a shooter in my life, enemies are utter bulletsponges but you die with 2-3 hits, the upgrade system is utter random grindy trash, enemies design are generic they just fly around, there is endless filler text and sound logs that 99% of which add absolutely nothing, the story sucks and doesnt grip you, only bore you, the main character is stupid and ugly, the quests are "kill respawning enemies" and the expeditions are the most frustrating experience i ever had in a game. Then you got the difficulty system which is just hard because you die at 2 hits and enemies take billions, i always run out of ammo and have to throw crap at enemies. If you have to include trainer cheats in the options so players can "balance" the game for you, then you failed at balancing the game. Control is one of the worst games i played and an example of how not to make games.
Every once in a while, a game comes along that just resonates with me. I’ve been playing video games for the better part of 3 decades now and Control had me hooked from the moment Jesse walked into the front door of the oldest house. I was so intrigued and curious as to what was going on. Haven’t had a game do that since Soma or Bioshock. Loved the story, the music, and especially the atmosphere. Amazing experience.
I think the setting and environment of control is fascinating. I was constantly trying to figure out how things worked. The lore is very detailed, but still gives space for imagination and theory, which I love.
not gonna lie i got to the last couple hours of the game and couldn't finish prey. i was all out of items and couldn't get to certain areas because there were enemies around every corner
I love how the telekinesis power sounds like a distorted rocket launch sounds. Like, it even fits in lore to have this sound, because the launch power comes from anomalous compact disk with icbm launch codes on it.
I'm in love with brutalism, and the research level is one of the most brautiful things I've ever seen... ..but that metal scene was the most thrilling thing this game had to offer. THAT. WAS. AWESOME. (And the fridge scene is pretty damn awesome).
i felt like it was paced like a dream. where you are being chased by ghosts through a city inside a building while trying to avoid psychic attacks, then your hanging out with the funny janitor and working for him for months.
This is one of the few games where I actively searched for every file, audio log and video log I can get my hands on. This might be one of the best settings for a game ever.
I've been reading fiction novels and painting with oils for about 15 years consistently and haven't stopped yet. All I can say is this: I was impressed by the skill on display in the artistic and writing aspects of the game. It was fresh. Not perfect, but certainly better than mind-numbing industry giants like Call of Duty *puking sounds*
Control has some of the best and most fully realized levels and settings of any video game I’ve played since the original BioShock but the actual story itself struggles. Jesse and Dylan in particular just aren’t that interesting and I was really disappointed that the game didn’t really develop Jesse’s relationship to Polaris. I also wish we’d gotten more characters like The Board; I love their dialogue and speech to bits and wish the OOPs that Jesse gets her powers from had speech or characterization themselves. Let me befriend the telekinetic Soviet nuclear launch code floppy disk!
@A Random Day did you read the documents ? Although it is kept vague, you can learn a lot through some entries. The ordinary reports notably flesh out Jesse and Dylan's relationship, as well as the Threshold Kids Tv Show.
That's on purpose. You even find a document that's set up exactly like SCP documents. Also the developers said they took heavy inspiration from SCP. I see this game as a propper SCP game.
As someone who absolutely adores control, this is an extremely fair review, certain design choices like the mods I just can't justify, but hes right when he says there is so much to love
This game's combat mechanics and story with my childhood imagination was a dream come true! The fact that this game didn't blow up as big as I think it should've feels like a good majority of people are taking special games like this for granted.
Idk, I heard great things about it but it came out among tough competition and when I finally got around to play it I was about to tell everyone how great it was upon first impression, but it runs out of steam so fast, a few hours in I was getting incredibly bored and I don't think I'm the exception. I couldn't recommend it to anyone once the novelty of hurling stuff at enemies wears off and I think this game really needed exceptionally good word of mouth to make a splash beyond critics.
my childhood imagination game is wonderful 101. it's the videogame equivalent of a kid slamming two action figures. CLAK CLAK CLUNK. action figure#2 with less moveable parts gets stronger to create tension. PSHHHT (and maybe some laugh). favorite toy avoids a powerful move by using his sword to pole jump and kick him. PLIINNNNK BAAAAAM. I dropped Control 2 hours in because of the combat. The main combat flaw cited in this video, pressure to use mechanics than throw shooty shoot throw is the entire premise of wonderful 101 combat. Google this game's sales. It took 7 years for another title to delve with the 'chess' thing. i hate you
@@ecnirp1340 This is the ONLY game with Telekinesis that is VERY aesthetically pleasing. The things that you can do is so eye candy. In combat I'll create my own anime battle scenarios because it's so fun to look at. This is a dream!! And as much as I love Fallen order the powers weren't as satisfying as Control.
I Control feels extremely specifically tuned, like they had a very particular person in mind when they made it, that means even people with a generally neutral overall opinion of it have strong responses in both directions to its parts. Personally, the game is so precisely targeted to my narrative, presentation and gameplay interests that I would almost feel uncomfortable review it, like I could possibly find a neutral space about the game in general.
Exactly my thoughts. I think the fact that there was no significant mention of the oh-so-obvious SCP-styled documentation in at least the first 2/3 of this video probably speaks to that, as if I had made a review, it would have had a section all its own. That's the part of the game I was actually interested in the most. The narrative was alright, the combat was satisfying, and the characters weren't offensive, but what kept me absolutely hooked was wanting to see or read about the next weird object or event and then potentially interact with it. I think if you're the type of person who can lose hours reading SCP or TVTropes pages, this game is tailor made for you. If you want anything else but that, you might find it to be just "okay".
In my experience, I used the rocket launcher the most. It just needs a few upgrades and then it's the best and most fun one. Extra damage and extra radius (Wich makes it more fun and visually pleasing). Twords the end of the game, it got pretty overpowered so I had to use it less on purpose. The sound effect on it is also great
I had fun with it, but it was a bit too easy to blow myself up with it to get reliable use. I barely touched the pistol this video calls the best weapon, my favourites were the sniper and shotgun and that combo was my equipped weapons most of the time
Every weapon has a unique mod that can be unlocked and offers a completely different playstyle. Pierce can be shot without charge and the pistol can be made to have infinite ammo among other things. I platinumed the game and all DLC and never got tired of the combat.
This will forever be the only game that made me actively read and seek the collectibles. Reading the notes with my friends and showing the ones I thought were cool to get them interested in the game was so much fun and an experience I'll probs never find again. Totally get the combat stuff though haha
@@m13b It doesn't include the DLC and if you happen to be playing on Series X/S, the Game Pass version is just the Xbox One version. Just something to be aware of but it's an amazing game either way
I finished it couple of months back. I have to say while there is lot to like, at some point I was forcing my self to play it which reduced the enjoyment. Almost everything is a fetch quest the story did not click with me, the backtracking, the notifications about hiss attack that we should take of being in the middle of something. The game for me had 3 moments I will remember the opening which I felt like in David Lynch movie (first visit to the hotel), meeting our sibling, the labyrinth (the best part of the game for me). I have to say with all its flaws I liked the Quantum Break better - did 2 playthroughs in a row. The combat was not great, but the story was really nice. And what is more I'm a sucker to well done time manipulation/time travel stories/mechanics.
Control seems right up your alley. Would love to hear your thoughts on Metro: Exodus. I think you’ll have a good time. Edit: oh shit, just saw the end tease.
Two colonels had great storytelling and atmosphere. It was pretty good. Being brought back into claustrophobic tunnels with a flamethrower was very satisfying.
@@caesarvalorvmsheevpalpatin8755 Sam's Story is honestly my favourite part of the entire game almost. Hell it's at least as good as Volga. I think people just don't like the colonel's DLC for being short and set-piece driven.
In my experience playing Control, I didn’t feel like Grip was much more powerful than the other forms. I found Charge and Spin to be the worst (the former frequently damages you, and the latter has way too much bloom but is outclassed when used in short range). Grip was around the middle, but Shatter and Pierce were my go-to’s. Shatter was very powerful at close range, and didn’t put you in much danger because it would either one-shot the target, or stagger them allowing for a couple more shots to be fired safely. Pierce, on the other hand, was great at quickly dispatching the most dangerous targets in a firefight. And if the enemy had a shield, you could just launch something at it (which will most likely destroy the shield) and then pop it in the head. Plus, I felt that those two weapon forms had exclusive mods that felt very appropriate and useful, with zero drawbacks (unlike Spin, where it’s rate of fire was more of a detriment than an upgrade, as well as Charge, which dealt loads of damage to you if you upgraded its blast radius).
I love fast paced accurate tap shooting and grip works the best for me. You will know when you get headshot and damage mods on it. It just is easy to take down 4-5 enemies if you do it right in a single clip. Takes a bit of patience as every headshot the enemy gets stunned and knocked back taking them off your aim. You either have to aiim their head that they put down in pain or wait for them to stand straight again. If you're good at tactical shooting, you can keep headshotting and stunning a bunch of people and move to other targets and dispatch a bunch of them quickly all within 10 seconds.
@@Totone56 Yes, it's very much in the same vein as the SCP universe, which is a really interesting setting as well. The story of Control is much more focused around the Bureau wheres the SCP universe is more focused on the SCPs themselves rather than The SCP Foundation. But Clearly I don't think Control would exists as it does without the influence of the SCP community. Their open-source style of storytelling is honestly such a huge strength for that community.
The lore is the best part of it. Hands down most interesting collectibles of any game I've ever played. I was delighted everytime I reached a new area and had more collectibles to find and read. Everything is so interesting and builds the world around so greatly it's ridiculous. I would even say the game is just half as good if you don't read the stuff.
Control is one of the best experiences I had in this last 10 years. It felt sincere, well-thought, satisfying, fun. You can see they made it with care, embracing their previous work and improving it. The combat and movement is amazing, the graphics and art are mesmerizing... For me, it's up there, with Max Payne and Alan Wake, if not better.
Right on. I agree, it was fun. I didn't want to keep playing it for too much longer than when the story ended, but I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Not every game needs to be endlessly iterative. After all, I know what happens at the end now. Leaving on a good note is a good thing. I could see myself downloading it again in the future just to throw things around again.
The way this story is unraveled throughout the game is outstanding to me. The mystery behind everything makes me want to explore just to cumulate in moments like the ashtray maze and the hiss taking over Jesse is just perfect. Character are outstanding not a blank slate and are perfectly described and understood through their actions. Darling is one of my single favorite characters in video game history and you directly talk to him once he’s perfect and his acting is amazing. This game is truly a masterpiece it’s hard to see otherwise.
I submitted twice. The last one being the Ultimate Version in my X Series. I love every detail of the game. Its ambiance, gameplay, sound and its narrative craziness. Exploring every corner is rewarding. Just perfect for me.
That's video that i've been anticipating that you cover since my first playthrough. And when you think about Control's a very unique game, i mean: an Scp inspired game with dynamic gameplay, Metroidvania inspired levels and Doom-like secrets? You dont see this everyday
I've heard that the creator actually said in an interview that he took inspiration from SCP for the game. Really shows that the SCP universe is REALLY taken for granted sometimes.
The world, storytelling and characters are so interesting in this game I honestly think it would make a great translation to TV. A show to stand along others like X-files, Fringe, Supernatural.
Control is a top 3 game of all time for me. I actually loved getting every text and audio log and the way it developed the lore while keeping the necessary mysteries alive. It made that world feel real for me.
The animations for levitation are so freaking satisfying!!! It's exactly how I would imagine moving if I suddenly could levitate. In other games you look like a stereotypical power fantasy. This looks like a mix between swimming and looking for your balance.
I've Finally Played Control and i realized i was missing out for years... what i love the most about the game is not the stunning visuals, but the fluidity of animations, i find myself often mesmerized by the way Jesse moves, it's just incredibly smooth. Also the destructible environment is amazing and the particular effects are incredible. The story is so unique and creative and the combat is just wild. the implementation of music is so artistic and the world feels so real. it's definitely one of the most immersive and unique games i've ever played. Remedy put so much love into Control and i hope more people would get to experience and appreciate this masterpiece. Now Alan wake 2 is out and it puts Unreal Engine 5 games to shame. Remedy is one of the few western devs that still has my utmost respect and support.
I played the ultimate edition when it comes out on PS Plus and it was my favorite game of this year so far. It’s such an interesting piece of science fiction and supernatural story I loved it!
Control was one of the most engrossing gaming experiences I've ever had. Turning off all HUD and reticle, dropping all the lights in my apartment, and turning up the volume, I felt completely in step with what Jesse was going through. I would scour the Oldest House and read all the flavor text, unaware if it was relevant to progression or not. Everything was a surprise to me, and it made the game so much more satisfying when I had to piece things together.
Just finished playing this and I love it so much. This one of the few games that made me wanna read every single piece of lore (bloodborne and last of us). The story is fascinating and kept me intrigued . I agree with your critique of the combat but man throwing shit is so cool lmao. Also the maze section is probably one of my favorite sequences in a video game ever. What a game.
If you like the aesthetic of this setting, I recommend looking at Echo. It's a similarly strange world of extremes, except that it takes the form of an opulent palace instead of an office building.
To Mr Raycevick I thought this was going to be the first video of yours that I disagreed with. I agreed with your analysis that the art style and presentation is fantastic, but all the while remembering the unenjoyable time I had with this game and that I never completed it. Then you simply said the word “boredom” at around 13 minutes and I yelled out ‘YES’. So thank you for that:)
On the other hand it was one i deeply disagreed with, it's still a great video and not everyone has to enjoy everything, but I won't pretend i can agree with the conclusions there.
I got the platinum on the PS5, and I didn't find the combat boring, or launch being the 'win' button, at all(though it's pretty OP). I played it more than half a year ago (when it came to PS+), but I'm pretty sure that launch wasn't infinite - isn't there a replenishing resource that prevents you from spamming that ability all the time? There were some enemies that would dodge launch projectiles, or armored enemies that would survive a triple projectile fully upgraded launch, too. Did he just beat the story and never finish side missions and DLCs? Later in the game enemies would be so tough, and there'd be so many of them, that weapons that focused on a single enemy, like pistol and spin, would be pretty useless, so I never used them, once i unlocked something better. When I got the rocket launcher(charge?), it would be my base weapon till I swapped it for Surge (DLC weapon), just cause these were great at causing mayhem and quickly dispatching rooms full of enemies. Mods weren't useless at all, either, the system is very flexible, and with unique mods you could change the weapons completely - i.e. make a sniper rifle/rail gun out of a shotgun, for instance, with a 'spread -100' mod. Add +X projectiles, and +X damage mods, and it would actually be better than the sniper rifle at long range, since it didn't need to charge before shots, and you had more ammo. Or change it to a devastating close combat weapon by replacing the unique '-100 spread' mod with another high level +X damage mod, and you'd one-shot almost anything up close. You can tweak damage, the spread, damage on headshots, ammo, reload speed, etc, and that's just the shotgun. But of course he wouldn't know that, if he didn't even bother using anything, but a non-upgraded pistol and launch. I'd agree that the random intrusions (or whatever they were called) were pretty annoying, though, and rather pointless, since you'd get much more loot, and faster, by killing a possessed vending machine.
Control is the only game i've ever played that made me want to read/listen/watch everything i find. Most of the time finding notes and presentations got me more excited than the combat.
The gameplay really clicked with me actually, doing anything in the game was a blast for me, I enjoyed the story but like with all Remedy games I enjoy the gameplay enough by itself that that's my favorite part of them. Quantum Break has some of the best Remedy gameplay ever actually, sucked that they made the story so invasive so you couldn't just enjoy playing it.
@m how could you not have fun flying around while tossing random things at enemies and then blowing them up with a volley of remote detonation explosives?
I mostly felt the opposite about Quantum Break, it actually felt like the gameplay in that game got in the way of the story. I had several moments where a combat arena just got annoying to me and I just wanted to push through it for the next bit of story. I still haven't finished Control, but I feel like if the two games were mashed together and we got the more advanced gameplay of Control + the story of QB, we would have had the ultimate Remedy game.
14:25 "Foundation DLC tries to address this problem" Yeah I was pleasantly surprised when you visited The Oldest House for side missions it had those distorted Hisses with laser beams from Foundation 17:10 "best weapon form is the least destructive" * Grip (Pistol) was good w/ Eternal Fire Mod (ammo refund on hit +100%) * Spin (AR) was good w/ Spam Mail Mod (weapon damage after kills +100%) but mainly just looked cool * Pierce (Sniper) was good w/ Custodial Readiness Mod (shot charge time -100), could have used scope though * Shatter (Shotgun) was good w/ One-Way Track Mod (projectile spread -100) * Charge (Rocket Launher) was good with 3 projectiles at once & Thin Space Mod (projectile speed +1000%) * Surge (Mortar Machine Gun) was fun for general crowd control 18:00 "Initial progression slows to crawling side missions" Some of the side missions are amazing though. And you get the unique mods only from side missions. Always reward player for exploring, not for running the game through. But yeah I get it, there might be a feeling story is not progressing towards to an end while you're hunting the cat statues and learning the secrets of The Oldest House, because then only Jess' career is advancing. 18:39 "I'm not Ahti" That's true, you're his assistant 18:50 "...to collect green tier energy restauration mods" Perhaps click "upgrade"-button to get higher tier mods? 19:50 "..complete the puzzle to get material and a suit" I think you got 2 ability points, material and damn fine suit But yeah I agree, Dr. Darling was dynamite in this one I personally thought the game was too short and wanted sequel immediately. There could have been a bit less action though or perhaps difficulty slider like you said, story/normal/weird modes (my bad, there is difficulty slider nowadays). Anyway I can't wait for Control 2. Luckily before that there will be Control 2 set up in Alan Wake 2 DLC, just like Control set up Alan Wake 2 in AWE DLC.
Control is a masterpiece. While I respect the critique, I feel like the average gamer (like me) with any interest in the surreal (X-Files, Kubrick, Inception) will adore this game, so go for it. The gameplay and environments are so strong.
Oh my gosh yes: replaying QB is even *more* fun that playing it the first time. The narrative and clues and hints are just great to pick up on again. I loved Control too, but agreed regarding the minute to minute gameplay. It was fun, but I think I enjoyed QB more despite it being far less polished in a number of ways.
Control knows how to present it's gameplay loop. Quantum Break unfortunately tricks you into thinking it's a cover shooter whereas the game is at its best when it's played completely agressively
22:30 favorite side character was the dude with the hairlip in charge of the altered items... he is what I imagine someone working in the FBC building would really be like
Two minutes in and you word (more eloquently than I ever could) how I feel about Control & Quantum Break. You're the best around when it comes to in depth reviews!
Everyone can agree that launch is stupidly powerful, but I've noticed a lot of disagreement on the most powerful gun mode. The first review I saw that the machine gun (Spin?) mode was way too good, but I found it horrible in my own playthrough. You said the rocket launcher is bad, but I fully upgraded it because I found it to be almost as powerful as launch. That and the sniper mode could 1 or 2 shot just about every enemy in the game. At that point I was a human attack helicopter, and I had a blast
"What's left for a poor little ******* bitch to rely on? It's money, of course. And guns. Fuckin' A. With these two things, the world's a great place." - Revy (I actually had to blank out the word because Google is a little communist asshole.) For some reason, I feel this quote really applies to Control in a way. In the face of infinite otherworldly dreams and horrors, humans will stare on unflinchingly. And not just stare, but advance, coolly and coldly taking power and control. Categorizing the uncategorizable. Constructing weapons to beat down all competition until all that remains to contend with us is our own selves. For example, you look at the Hiss, and at first, it seems sinister, but on second glance, it's nothing more than a mindless error in the cosmos. Uncontrolled chaos that's easily stomped, like a rodent problem. It makes no real sense. It never will. It's just another force to be reigned in and controlled.
Charge and Grip are my favorite weapon forms. Once you have the “Eternal Fire” mod for grip it’s the best weapon in the game. Charge is amazing for crowds, especially when you’re airborne and once you have all three mod slots unlocked for it and can increase the projectile speed and blast radius.
Glad to see you enjoyed it! I really loved how sprawling and ridiculous control got over time as you continued playing it. What other games do you think you'll work on? Always a treat to watch your vids man :)
A good game, but the publisher is just straight on scamming people back when the DLC just came out *"Favorite pokemon?"* *_"Whichever pokemon I could ran over with a truck"_* Boy that escalated quickly xD
They were also scamming people with the versions for the new consoles. It's basically the same kind of shitty behaviour everywhere these days. Which is why you should think twice about what companies actually deserve your money.
@@arsenelupin9697 Yep, all that bullshit with the next-gen upgrade, expecting people to pay near full price even if they had already shelled out for the base game, and then they ended up basically giving it away via PS+ anyway. Baffling.
@@AliG200 It's not really "baffling" ^^ They just wanted to milk more money out of their customers and are fully aware that this kind of behavior, doesn't come with many negative consequences nowadays. You still have a shit ton of people, who are defending CDPR to the death and even more people that will gleefully pre-order their next game - why wouldn't these companies resort to scummy practices like this? ^^
I have a lot of respect for this review, you did an excellent job with it. Personally I think the areas that you were bothered by didn't affect me the same way, and I managed to enjoy everything about Control. I just started replaying it a bit (in between chapters of Alan Wake 2), and I'm noticing so much more this time around now that I have a fresher context of Alan Wake's involvement in the universe. Also, the Ashtray Maze kicks ass. It's easily one of the coolest sequences in gaming.
Starting Alan wake because of control. I definitely want to get more context and then get Alan wake 2 soon. Remedy is just too good at creating unnerving worlds and it’s cool to see it all connect. The issues he had didn’t affect me either. The game sets out for a purpose and nails it. Also yes the ashtray maze definitely needs to be talked about more across gaming haha
You know why I live this game so much? In addition to all the things you mentioned is the hud is optional. The game provides you with enough info to turn it all off. Also solving the fetch quest notification problem. This game is my absolute favourite
For third person shooters, I agree. The writing is so good! Too bad many people don't take the time to read it. I wonder how many gamers read fiction books on a regular basis, because control is better than some of the heavy hitters I have been reading. And that wasn't even the entire focus of the game
Agreed on Matthew Porretta. The first thing I mention when I recommend this game to others is the Dr. Darling videos. Plus the little surprise with him near the end. For me, the lore, humor and drama are all what makes what could have been an average game...sublime.
I fell in love with Mirror's Edge back then, I've fallen in love with Control now. I am absolutely blinded to its faults. It just has this brave thing going on. Very ambitious, very brave. It hits all the right notes for me. It's been two weeks now, got it on a sale, cannot stop playing it. It's been a long... long time since I've enjoyed a video game like this.