Based on what we’ve seen so far of Remedy Entertainment’s Control, it certainly seems like it’s going to be a unique title. While there may be some familiar elements in the game, the developer will be using these elements in their own way. In a recent interview with EDGE Magazine (October 2018, Issue 323) , the developers discussed in greater detail just how unique this game is going to be.
The game’s Narrative Lead Anna Megill discussed how it has been a difficult process to work on Control, because it’s something totally new and unprecedented. She stated, “Player volition has been a guiding point for us, letting the player choose what they want to do and still telling the story. But it’s been really challenging in that it’s almost something totally new that we’re trying – as a writer, I have never done this on any game. So we’re innovating as we go. Remedy always wants to push the envelope. I can’t think of a game that’s doing the things that we’re planning to do.”
This definitely sounds exciting, but at this point we still don’t know enough concrete information about the game, so we’ll just have to take the developers at their word. Not that we have any reason to doubt Remedy- there track record certainly speaks for itself. But that’s not all- the game’s Creative Director Sam Lake also went on talk about how it will include some RPG elements, but that these will be implemented in their own unique way.
He said, “Well, you are of course never making your games in a vacuum. We wanted to create an experience that lasts longer. We wanted to bring in new elements – more sandboxes, less linearity, a deeper action game – and see what the Remedy game version of that is. But always at Remedy, we want to find a combination of things that makes our games unique, and do our own thing. It never feels like chasing after a trend, or trying to copy a successful formula. Because then you are already too late.For me, the interesting thing has always been finding new mediums of storytelling or meta-storytelling. In Quantum Break, it was ‘Let’s put in a TV show’. Here, it’s letting the world do the storytelling. We take elements from roleplaying design with NPCs, and opportunities to have discussions with them. You pursue the mysteries you are interested in.”
Hopefully, we’ll get to see for ourselves how unique this game is soon enough. Certainly, at least up until now, everything we’ve seen of the game really does look pretty unique, or at least very interesting if not that, from its setting, to its storytelling style, to even how the game’s structured. We’ll just have to wait and see if any of this translates well in the final release though. Control is set to release in 2019 for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
