Author Topic: Control  (Read 4430 times)

Offline iPPi

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Control
« on: Saturday, June 27, 2020, 04:03:03 PM »
Control is the latest game from Remedy Entertainment, the developers who made Max Payne 1, Max Payne 2, Alan Wake, and Quantum Break. It was released fall 2019, and while it did get good reviews, I think it was a bit of a sleeper-hit. It is not yet released on Steam (Epic Games Store timed-exclusive based on my understanding) though it should be coming to Steam later in 2020, but it was also released on PS4 and XB1.

The game is at the same time flawed yet incredibly entertaining and fun to play. In terms of the game's design, Control is a "Metroid-vania" with a bit of Dark Souls thrown in. You will find locked doors that won't open until you have obtained the requisite clearance level. You will also be unable to traverse certain areas until you have obtained a particular ability or completed a certain quest. There is some backtracking, but not too much. It has some "Souls" inspiration through the use of "control points" (i.e., bonfires), where you can fast-travel, use ability points, craft upgrades, and respawn on death.

In terms of raw gameplay, it is a third person shooter with powers thrown in (as you progress you will have the ability to hurl objects, levitate, dash, and create shields), all set in a world filled with some paranormal and supernatural events. The game is flawed in the sense that the enemy variety is quite limited - you will face the same enemies over and over again, with the only variation being the "level" they are (indicated by a number that appears with the enemy's health bar) along with some named versions of those enemies. Enemy encounters take place in certain areas where they will spawn in. However, all of these tend to be quite trivial and easy and they do not pose much of a challenge.

There are only a few "boss" enemies and surprisingly, most are relegated to the side quests, which are completely optional. A few of the boss fights are challenging and take a few tries to get through. Unfortunately, whenever you fail to beat the boss it feels like a cheap/unfair death though - it usually happens because of what feels like a random attack, or as a result of the ground breaking and falling to your death.

As flawed as the game is - it is also what makes it so much fun. Very early on you get the telekinesis ability, which gives you the ability to pick up objects and hurl them at enemies. The interactivity of this ability is insane - you will pick up chairs, fire hydrants, desks, parts of the walls, enemies, etc. It is also a bit overpowered and one of the reasons why the game feels easy, but the destruction caused and the chaos that ensues is incredibly satisfying.

The plot doesn't make much sense, but the setting in which the game takes place - the "Oldest House" - is incredible. At first blush, it is a simple office building, but thanks to the paranormal and supernatural setting and events, what would normally appear to be a simple office environment turns into some really strange and incredible set pieces. Case in point - there is one set piece near the end of the game that is quite simply one of the best set pieces to play through in recent memory.

This is one of the best looking games on the market right now, and it is also one of the few games to make extensive use of ray tracing if you have the graphics card. When turned on the game looks incredible. It is a very demanding game though - running 3440x1440 everything set to max (except for ray tracing debris), I was getting 40-55fps on a RTX 2080 Super. I've heard that the game doesn't run particularly well on console but I cannot confirm or verify that.

There is one DLC available currently ("The Foundation"), and another one ("AWE", which I understand will involve the Alan Wake storyline somehow) coming later this summer - I plan on picking them up when they're both released before I dive back in.

Overall, I would highly recommend this game.

Offline MysterD

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Re: Control
« Reply #1 on: Sunday, June 28, 2020, 04:34:30 AM »
Nice review. Very detailed and tons of paragraphs; the way I like reviews.

I'm looking forward to this one for sure, once it gets a bit cheaper and all.

From what I know, it's actually DRM-FREE on Epic Store, after install from Epic Launcher:
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Control

I have a Control thread over here already, which nobody posted in:
http://www.overwritten.net/forum/index.php?topic=10149.msg132918


EDIT on 6/28/2020 - From My OG Control Thread:
Quote
« on: Wednesday, September 04, 2019, 06:15:48 PM »
Remedy's new game Control (sci-fi / semi open-world / action game / shooter) is now out.

Right now, this is currently exclusive to the Epic Store for the PC version.
Also out on consoles, X1 and PS4.

Metacritic:
85 on PC - https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/control
83 on X1 - https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/control
81 on PS4 - https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/control
« Last Edit: Sunday, June 28, 2020, 02:39:36 PM by MysterD »

Offline iPPi

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Re: Control
« Reply #2 on: Sunday, June 28, 2020, 11:40:53 AM »
Thanks! And also, sorry, I didn't see your original thread MysterD.

Yea I picked it up on the Epic Games Store - it was on sale 50% a few weeks ago during their summer sale (there was also a coupon available to use but for some reason it didn't apply properly so I couldn't take advantage of the coupon; I'll use the coupon for the DLC when it gets released though so it doesn't matter too much).


Offline MysterD

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Re: Control
« Reply #3 on: Sunday, June 28, 2020, 02:34:37 PM »
Don't sweat it. It got buried. Not worried about that.

Yeah, I really want to play this game, once it gets cheaper. My backlog's huge so, unless something's getting de-listed or removed or I'm itching to play ASAP - yeah, I'm gonna wait on it.

Plus, for me, might be worth waiting for a Control: Complete Edition w/ all DLC's.

I have a $10 coupon lingering from Epic too, so...hope something good goes on sale and I can throw the $10 coupon on top to stack it up!

Offline Quemaqua

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Re: Control
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday, September 08, 2020, 02:10:30 PM »
I also grabbed this on EGS for free, and then grabbed the DLCs for almost free with a coupon. I've been having a really great time with it. Alan Wake never really stuck with me, something I found kind of off-putting about this lame little author dude running around murdering extradimensional creatures with a handgun and a flashlight. Just didn't work for me. But Control is just pitch-perfect in so many ways, I love the bonkers story and setup. Been really enjoying it. TheOtherBelmont grabbed it too and has been playing it a bunch. It might actually get me to reinstall Alan Wake since it appears the latest DLC has provided more direct links between the fiction of the two, and I like Control enough to possibly get me back to the other to learn more about the universe. Easily my favorite Remedy title.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野

Offline MysterD

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Re: Control
« Reply #5 on: Sunday, November 01, 2020, 08:20:42 PM »
I picked up yesterday from the Epic Game Store both Control: Ultimate Edition and Shenmue 3: Standard Edition with those $10 coupons before they expired.

Anyways, some thoughts on Control: Ultimate, some 2 hours and 22 minutes or so into this, according to Tim Sweeney's service and its time-tracking feature.

This feels like the awesome Max Payne style gunplay/combat; somewhat open-world games; and weird supernatural & sci-fi games had a baby. For sci-fi and supernatural, this feels like something out of combination of the X-Files and some of those Stephen King type of stories about telekinesis/psychokinesis. The narrative seems interesting and intriguing, keeping me wanting to see whatever madness, weird stuff, and whatnot that this is going to offer up next. If this sounds up your alley...well, this game is going to certainly deliver for you.

So, yes - telekinesis feels like the modern-day gravity gun from Half-Life 2. Any object in the game-world - two-wheelers; mail tubes; tables; chairs; boxes; water-coolers; etc etc - it's all for the picking up and tossing. To be able to shoot guns, melee enemies, and toss any object worthwhile in the game-world is just an absolute blast here. Takes you a little bit to get this power, but without no time...you're shooting enemies like there's no tomorrow; and the combat feels great.

You have Control points, as they call them, as their checkpoints here...or Dark Souls-like bonfires, if you might want to think of them here as such. Here is where you can switch your Outfits and Fast Travel; and where the game will Auto-save (if it doesn't auto-save elsewhere...b/c at other points the game will just auto-save anyways). There are also upgrades to weapons, skills, and other stuff also. Anytime you "die", expect a 10% penalty to your (experience) Points here - not as punishing as Dark Souls, but...there's still a penalty here.

Collectibles/Lore are everywhere, providing Lore with info, background, and story to the game, its game-world, the inhabitants in the game-world; the game's own lingo & terms (which you'll need to learn and pay attention to); and whatever else. You might expect that if you've played any recent Remedy games - namely, since Alan Wake - on offering Lore and Collectibles.

So, I've got most of this here running at 1080p @ Medium settings here. It was bouncing a bit b/t mostly 50-60fps, before getting the telekinesis skill. Now, with tons of physics and stuff able to pick-up and toss around, it feels more like it's b/t 40-60fps now...so I locked it to 45fps here via MSI Afterburner. Even at Medium here, the game looks really good, to say the least.

Regardless, this game's a blast so far. I hope this game doesn't let up b/c....this game's just incredible so far.

Offline MysterD

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Re: Control
« Reply #6 on: Saturday, November 21, 2020, 05:20:54 PM »
After 21h 37m 34s in total here, all according to Epic Game Store's tracking and all, Control (base-game) is now complete. And what a ride it was!

With non-stop shooting and gun-play; floating and levitating in the air (what an awesome & fun skill to use, once you earn that skill); using telekinesis to lift and toss objects (even including humans and enemies, once you level that up) - the game's just an action-packed blast and tons of fun. Oh, and at times, there's some odd puzzles too!

This is such an outstanding action-game & one of the better shooters that I've played since Doom 2016. The story and their characters are bizarre; out there; and totally in another (and their own) galaxy - but still, it's quite good, despite it being often quite purposely obtuse. As long as you can find lots of Lore, learn the lingo, and follow it - you should be fine, even if you don't get all of the answers.

Regardless, the game's a graphical marvel & looks fantastic; runs solid (40fps on my 6GB GTX 1060-based laptop, once I locked the framerate down); the story's always interesting & intriguing; and the both combat and level design's fantastic.

This game is a definite "must play."

Offline iPPi

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Re: Control
« Reply #7 on: Sunday, November 22, 2020, 10:32:56 PM »
I have recently picked this back up and am working my way through the first expansion, The Foundation. It is more of the same game -- there is some additional lore/story to be told and you do get some new abilities, but it is very much the same game, which is a good thing. I am enjoying it and should be about 75-80% done the expansion, and will be moving on to the second expansion probably in the next week or two.

Offline gpw11

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Re: Control
« Reply #8 on: Sunday, November 22, 2020, 10:53:27 PM »
I came here looking for a discussion on this.  I had heard about this on the Giant Bomb podcast and was intrigued but heard the PS4 performance was terrible (I did, however, have my eye on it for a holiday PC sale - I missed your earlier posts about the Epic Game Store deals).   But I just saw that Ultimate Edition is on sale in the Playstation store and there's a free upgrade to the PS5 enhanced version when it's out next year so I wanted to get your takes on it.  Sold!

Going to get it and throw it in the backlog until the upgrade comes out as it seems that might be the real experience to have with all the physics effects but I definitely appreciate the review and discussion here.

Offline Quemaqua

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Re: Control
« Reply #9 on: Friday, December 04, 2020, 01:31:51 PM »
Man, I really need to finish this. I got stuck on a boss for a sec, then beat it, but then ran into a bunch of dumb shit and a bug and a challenge I hurled myself at a few times but couldn't beat ... and I just didn't want to play it anymore. Now I've been in the mood for more RPG stuff, so I'll have to wait until the mood strikes again, I guess. I really want to finish it, I love so much of the bonkers stuff they did.

天才的な閃きと平均以下のテクニックやな。 課長有野