Control

Play it on: PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows (Steam Deck OK)
Current goal: Finally get to the expansions
Buy it from: Amazon | Humble Bundle

Few games this year (if not the last five or 10 years) grabbed me like Alan Wake II did. And as soon as the credits rolled, I knew I wanted to continue to ride the high I get from this world and from developer Remedy’s storytelling.

But Alan Wake II was a bit rough on my machine so I’m thinking a proper return is due after a substantive upgrade, when I can enjoy it with more of the stunning graphical features maxed out. That makes this weekend a perfect time to continue my revisit of Remedy’s 2019 Control, which was easily one of my favorite games of the 2010s.

Having never played Control’s expansions, I’m very much looking forward to experiencing some new (to me) narrative developments, especially the material that ties Control in more closely with Alan Wake. And while I loved the gameplay of Alan Wake II, the explosive intensity of Control’s frantic combat is a whole other level of excitement and action, satisfying that part of my brain that loves overstimulation and the joys of watching video game physics go absolutely bananas.

Control is the kind of game that interfaces directly with my brain. It’s absolute, 100 percent immersion for me. The delightful linguistic play at work in the dialogue, use of vivid imagery and symbolism, and a plot whose secrets are always just out of reach yet demand my attention with its compelling mystery, sync with me like little else. Alan Wake II didn’t disappoint in those areas (and in many ways exceeded what I got from Control), but damn if Control doesn’t do a great job of reminding me why I love video games so much. — Claire Jackson

Control | comes with PlayStation Plus

If you’re a PlayStation Plus Premium or Extra subscriber, you can play Control: Ultimate Edition (which includes the expansions) as a part of your subscription.