Control Ultimate Edition is a third-person action-adventure game that blends supernatural combat with exploration in a mysterious government agency setting.
Gameplay
In Control Ultimate Edition, you take on the role of Jesse Faden, who becomes the Director of the Federal Bureau of Control after a supernatural invasion by an entity called the Hiss. The core gameplay revolves around third-person combat where you use a transforming Service Weapon that shifts between forms like a pistol or shotgun. You also wield telekinetic abilities, such as launching objects at enemies or creating shields from debris. Exploration plays a key role, as the Oldest House, the bureau's headquarters, features shifting architecture that changes layouts and reveals hidden areas. Combat encounters mix gunplay with power usage, requiring you to manage energy resources while dodging attacks from possessed agents. Upgrades come from completing missions and collecting resources, allowing customization of weapons and abilities through a mod system.
The mechanics emphasize environmental interaction, where you can rip chunks from walls or furniture to hurl at foes, making fights feel dynamic and tied to the surroundings. Boss battles test your mastery of these systems, often in large arenas with multiple phases. The game includes light puzzle elements, such as navigating altered spaces or solving riddles tied to the bureau's lore.
Game Modes
Control Ultimate Edition focuses on a single-player experience without multiplayer components. The main campaign follows Jesse's journey through the Oldest House, involving story missions and side quests that uncover the bureau's secrets. It includes two expansions: The Foundation, which explores deeper underground areas with new abilities like shaping crystal structures, and AWE, which connects to Remedy's Alan Wake universe and introduces altered world events with unique enemy types.
These expansions function as additional chapters accessible after certain points in the main story, extending the narrative and introducing fresh mechanics without separate competitive or cooperative modes.
Story and Setting
The narrative centers on Jesse searching for her missing brother while battling the Hiss corruption within the Federal Bureau of Control. The setting is the Oldest House, a brutalist building that defies physics with shifting rooms and thresholds leading to other dimensions. Collectibles like documents and audio logs build a rich backstory filled with paranormal phenomena and bureaucratic oddities.
Is It Worth Playing?
Control Ultimate Edition holds strong player reception, with 88% of 23,798 user reviews on its platform being positive. Recent feedback from the last 30 days shows mostly positive responses among 645 reviews. The game receives praise for its responsive controls, engaging combat mechanics, and atmospheric world-building, though some note the story delivery can feel disjointed.
If you enjoy single-player action-adventure titles with supernatural elements and exploration, this game suits fans of narrative-driven experiences. It remains a complete package without ongoing seasons or live updates, making it accessible for newcomers seeking a self-contained story. For those who prefer fast-paced combat and mystery-solving over multiplayer interactions, it offers lasting value through its expansions and replayable challenges.
