Remedy’sControlwas one of last year’s most surprising hits. It was weird, cinematic, and offered a full range of abilities for players to master and play around with. The narrative was bizarre, the set pieces were interesting, and everything was shrouded with a degree of mystery.
Now,Control’sfirst proper DLC,The Foundation,is out, offering a short, but a solid, expansion on the base game, tying off a few loose ends but adding a few more for players to ponder over. It’s a perfect way to keep players engaged with the game, which has steadily introduced new content since launch.The Foundationis a timed DLC, available now for PC and PS4 with an Xbox One launch next month, but it should offer a decent way to spend an evening.
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The Astral Plane is bleeding into our world, threatening the very core of reality.Control’sJesse Faden must then journey to the Foundation to try and stop whatever is causing such chaos. TheFoundationDLCtakes place far below the bureau in a cave system, and whileControlisn’t strictly limited to the government building aesthetic in the base game– players visit quarries and similar locations– the DLC does manage to separate itself visually from other parts ofControl.
It isn’t the most striking imagery out there, but the cave system is good at moving players between open space and narrow corridors, keeping things diverse. The portions of the map where the Astral Plane crosses over with the regular world are particularly interesting, offering a unique twist on what players have seen in the game before.
The new abilities introduced are a bit lackluster. It allows for players to grow or destroy large crystalline formations, which can be used to damage enemies or for traversal. As far as the in-game abilities go, they aren’t all that great. They can be used to deal great amounts of damage to enemies quickly, but the abilities earned in the game’s main campaign are far more spectacular to use.
However,Controldoes know exactly where players are at upon starting the DLC, which is to say that players will need to use all of their abilities to make it through the game’s various fights. Using the full roster of abilities, from levitation to the more simple throwing attacks, creates a more energetic and vibrant style of combat. The various locations where players actually fight tend to be open, and despite not being that fun to use, the crystal-manipulation abilities do make the battlefield feel a bit more dynamic overall.
A free update launched alongsideThe Foundationalso tweaked some of the game’s other elements, including the frustratingly confusing map. While it’s certainly an improvement, it’s still difficult to use inControl’sworld, especially in locations with multiple levels that are inaccessible through certain entryways. That becomes a regular source of frustration while exploring the cavernous depths, which will require players to move between various levels throughout the DLC, and is an area whereRemedycould improve.
Controlis still great at being weird, though. Without spoiling any of the narrative beats,The Foundationintroduces new elements and expands on the old ones, which is perfect for a DLC of this nature. It does a good job of setting players up for the future, which will hopefully lead to even more of the game afterControl’ssecond DLC releases.
Those that had stepped away fromControlafter finishing it may want to run through the first hour or two of themain storybefore diving intoThe Foundation.There are a few small, but significant things that can be overlooked for those that have forgotten some of the game’s mechanics or terminology. Those that have been playing here and there since launch should be fine, but it can cause a bit of confusion otherwise.
The Foundationis a good, but short, time. Those that enjoyedControlwhen it first launched will find plenty to appreciate, as the DLC is largely a continuation of what players already know and love, even if it struggles with some of the same issues it originally faced. If anything, it should be enough to get players excited for the future of the franchise, whether that’s the next DLC, or a full-fledged sequel– possibly even anext-gen port ofControl.
Controlis available on PS Now, so those that haven’t tried the game at all should start there.The Foundationonly costs $14.99, so it isn’t too much of an investment for anyone apprehensive to give it a shot.
Control: The Foundationis available now for PC and PS4. An Xbox One version will launch on June 25th.
