Control
Rating: 4.5/5
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: 505 Games
Platform: PC, PS4, XBOX
Price: PC: Rs 1,700; PS4/XBOX: Rs 3,499

When you start with Control, very little context is given to Jesse Faden, the character you play in the game. Jesse comes in as the new acting director of the Federal Bureau of Control—she might also be the new janitor’s assistant. The building, where the game is set in, is in turmoil as some extraterrestrial entity called the Hiss has invaded it. The game just throws you in the thick of it and then builds its story as both you and the protagonist unravel the many mysteries it hides. It is a nice approach. Control manages to cultivate an overpowering eerie feeling that is not only supported by the many weird visuals, but also by the constant murmuring and feeling of dread, as you enter unfamiliar spaces. It is done so well that you will feel exhausted playing it. Thankfully, there aren’t any cheap jump scares; instead, the game relies on an overall environment to bring its sense of doom.

The entire game also takes place in a hidden building called the Oldest House, a sprawling complex with maintenance floors, huge lobbies and mundane offices. It is a building that is sort of alive and can shift its shape, which makes for some interesting looking levels. The art style in Control is insane—there are layers, starting with all the structural changes that the house has made, then the ex-director who is sort of guiding you through and appears as a huge shadow and the voice in Jesse’s head, which we presume is the player helping her avoid the power of the Hiss. Levels are beautifully detailed and almost completely destructible.