Control

Absolutely loved every second of this. Perfect balance of gameplay and storyline only complain is that even after the 2 very good dlc I was left wanting more!

This game is a pleasant surprise ever since the beginning. Remedy uses a cinematic style for its storytelling, with crazy visuals and cryptic shenanigans. It is a story where you can read between the lines, and if you have the patience to browse the many collectibles you can give interesting interpretations of the game. The characters are quite quirky, as expected, and the acting is convincing.

The gameplay is satisfying, a bit difficult to pick up the gunplay but very rewarding as for the kinetic powers. I really enjoyed the exploration, stumbling upon very secret areas and unlocking cool stuff.

On the downside I can only think of three issues: some visual hiccups, specifically faces going to a neutral expression too soon in cutscenes or the animations being a bit too stiff; aspects of the gameplay, like the fact that any melee attack you receive makes you one-shot regardless of your current health; counter-intuitiveness in certain side missions, it's really hard to understand what to do or where to go sometimes.

Ever since this game was announced over a year ago I've been waiting to get my hands on it, and it did not disappoint. Impossible architecture combines with mind bending physics and amazing powers as you traverse The Oldest House, a mysterious building that you won't find unless it wants to be found. This game delivers on every front, Remedy has done it once again.

Control is a great game to pick up and play in terms of giving you an hour or two of high octane enjoyment.

Combat is great, with a mixture of impactful gunplay and several "superpowers". The "Service Weapon", that can mould into several different types of gun, feels forceful. But the superpowers are the highlight. With effortless controls, Jesse can levitate, launch objects through the air, mind control enemies and create a shield of rock pulled from the floor. The graphics and sound design on all these powers are incredible.

The story is interesting, but is not told in the right way. Unless you collect all the collectibles, (files, tapes, etc.), of which there are over 200, you probably won't understand the story. Through normal gameplay and cutscenes it can become nonsensical.

The Foundation DLC was just okay but the AWE DLC was disappointing, with hardly any connection and tie in with Alan Wake whatsoever. It would've been nice to see a few different environments.

I'd definitely recommend Control from a gameplay perspective. The story and narrative could've been so much better.

Gameplay, graphics, physics, detail - this game stretches current-gen hardware as far as any effort I've seen. The environments are as pretty & polished as you could want, but they're also fully destructible - and not even in a "some objects will fall over then disappear" kind of way. Effort has been made to keep every detail looking & feeling as realistic as possible, even in the middle of all the superpowered skirmishes. This is the real centrepiece of the game - your character's powers, and how you use them for fun & fighting. Jesse Faden starts out as a normal woman drawn by some inexplicable force to The Oldest House, a shady government bureau where she procedes to obtain an arsenal of supernatural skills - allowing her to overcome the House's hazards and uncover its secrets in the most joyful, empowering & eyecatching ways. The storyline (one of pseudoscientific research & interdimensional espionage) provides a creatively grounded backdrop linking the action together, but it always felt to me as if this was a gameplay-led project; while Alan Wake had some cool & innovative gameplay, its remembered mostly for its dramatic story and themes, whereas Control feels more like a showcase of video games as a spectacle. I wouldn't be itching to tell people about the narrative, which suffers a lack of clarity at times - there's a lot going on in The Oldest House, and much of it is devoid of explanation (which is probably intentional) or an obvious point (which probably isn't). However I couldn't wait to show friends all the cool stuff you can do whenever you feel like it, and how good it always looks when you're doing it. Confronting a wretched, wailing group of interdimensionally-possessed former office-workers who have become twisted beyond human form, and defending yourself by telekinetically flinging a tray of photorealistic coffee cups at them - that's what this game is all about. And it's great.