The New Weird: Control Delivers a Masterclass in Fast-Paced Gunplay and Mind-Bending Cosmic Horror

Remedy Entertainment’s Control stands as a triumphant example of a third-person action-adventure that seamlessly fuses high-octane, destructive combat with a haunting, mind-melting cosmic horror narrative. Released in 2019 (and continually updated through the Ultimate Edition), the game has earned widespread acclaim for its unique atmosphere and the sheer kinetic joy of its gameplay, positioning it as a pivotal title in the modern action gaming landscape and a rich source of high-value content for both narrative and mechanical analyses.

Set within the ever-shifting, Brutalist headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC)—dubbed “The Oldest House”—the game casts players as Jesse Faden, the new Director tasked with purging an otherworldly, corruptive entity known as the Hiss. This premise allows Control to establish a foundation in the “New Weird” genre, heavily inspired by the SCP Foundation, Twin Peaks, and H.P. Lovecraft, where the mundane corporate environment clashes violently with the incomprehensible forces of the cosmos.

Kinetic Combat: The Fusion of Supernatural Abilities and Dynamic Gunplay

The combat system in Control is arguably its most celebrated feature, creating a dynamic, fast-paced flow that constantly challenges the player to alternate between traditional shooting and devastating psychic powers. The gameplay loop is based on an aggressive, highly mobile philosophy:

• The Service Weapon (The Gun): Jesse is armed with the Service Weapon, an Object of Power that is the FBC Director’s signature sidearm. It is not one gun but a shape-shifting weapon that can instantly morph into various forms—Grip (Pistol), Shatter (Shotgun), Spin (SMG), Pierce (Sniper), and Charge (Rocket/Grenade Launcher).
  • Crucially, the weapon uses a constantly recharging energy clip instead of traditional ammo, forcing players to use it aggressively but strategically.
• Psychokinetic Powers (The Jedi Fantasy): When the Service Weapon is recharging, Jesse must rely on her rapidly expanding suite of psychic powers, which are the true core of the combat’s dynamism:
  • Launch: The primary offensive power allows Jesse to rip concrete chunks, office furniture, or even enemies’ own grenades from the environment and hurl them with lethal force, utilizing the game’s stellar environmental destruction engine.
  • Levitate: Grants vertical mobility, allowing Jesse to float above the battlefield and rain down fire, which is essential for surviving the late-game’s overwhelming enemy waves.
  • Shield: Allows Jesse to rip debris from the floor to form a protective wall, providing brief respite and health pickup opportunities.
  • Seize: A mind-control ability that turns weakened Hiss agents into temporary allies, a crucial tool for crowd control in large encounters.
• The Combat Rhythm: The genius of the design lies in the constant, necessity-driven transition: Shoot until the clip is empty, then launch an object while the weapon recharges, then use Levitate to reposition, then shoot again. This high-mobility, aggressive approach is essential for survival, as Jesse only heals by picking up health shards dropped by damaged enemies, favoring offensive risk-taking over cowardly cover-crouching.

The Unknowable Dread: Cosmic Horror and Metroidvania World-Building

In stark contrast to the explosive gunplay, Control’s narrative and setting fully embrace the chilling principles of Cosmic Horror (often referred to in the game’s context as Paranatural or New Weird). The horror comes not from jump scares, but from the realization of human insignificance in the face of unknowable, uncaring forces:

• The Oldest House: The FBC headquarters is a Place of Power that constantly shifts and rearranges its architecture, defying spatial logic. Its sterile, Brutalist aesthetic contrasts sharply with the bizarre, otherworldly phenomena it contains, creating a pervasive atmosphere of unease and dread—a hallmark of Lovecraftian fiction.
• The Hiss and Ambiguity: The enemy, the Hiss, is an amorphous, resonant, whispering entity from another dimension. It is never fully explained or seen in a cohesive form; its victims are FBC agents floating mid-air, repeating chilling, distorted, ritualistic phrases. This ambiguity and the sense of an unfathomable threat elevate the horror.
• Altered Items and Lore: The game’s world-building, structured in a Metroidvania format, is primarily delivered through numerous collectible documents, videos (Dr. Darling’s research tapes), and audio logs. These documents detail the FBC’s containment of Altered Items (Objects of Power like a cursed refrigerator or a dangerous rubber duck) and Altered World Events (AWEs), creating a deep, unsettling tapestry of lore reminiscent of the SCP Foundation archives.

Conclusion: A Masterpiece of Synergy

Control is a rare gem in modern AAA gaming, delivering an experience where both the mechanics and the narrative excel in different, yet complementary, ways. The fast-paced, physics-bending gunplay provides a satisfying sense of power and mastery, while the underlying cosmic horror—found in the shifting corridors and the unsettling documents—continually reminds the player that they are a tiny speck of dust navigating a universe utterly hostile to human sanity. The game’s seamless integration of these elements makes it a compelling, must-play title for fans of both high-octane action and deeply unsettling supernatural mysteries.

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