Control is a science-fiction action game that expresses surrealism through paranormal events. This is not entirely out of Remedy’s wheelhouse, but it dips its toes in further with Control in some surprising ways. The Oldest House’s brutalist architecture holds many eerie secrets and is a downright head-scratcher until the end, with much of its dialogue and subplots left to the player’s interpretation. So much of Control’s storytelling is environmentally told, in fact, that fans will surely miss out on its most entertaining narratives if they neglect to read its many lore documents, and the same will likely be true in Control 2.

It is in this supplementary reading and viewing material, as well as in important side quests, that players learn the most about Control’s supernatural universe. Control’s bizarre mystique is largely derived from its SCP Foundation inspirations, which are peppered throughout the game in order to establish a phenomenal atmosphere, and knowing that Control’s Panopticon houses so many of these horrors adds to the game’s mystery. Therefore, happening upon redacted documents and attempting to parse their supernatural occurrences is enthralling, and that tone needs to be reprised in Control 2.

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Control’s SCP Features Give It Its Best Moments of Intrigue

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The allure to SCP entries is the idea that they present a community-generated plethora of paranormal occurrences. SCP entries are thrilling because they are independently unique and have compelling lore around their disconcerting nature. These isolated incidents can craft short, sweet narratives that pack a huge punch with suspense and horror, and that same tone is expressed through Control, as it should be in Control 2. There are tons of documents in Control that have redacted words and phrases, including case file documentation addressing supernatural Altered Items.

These items include a 1960s refrigerator that Agent Phillip is tasked to keep under unwavering supervision, a VHS Cassette Tape that renders viewers immobile and entranced, an enigmatic Crowbar that lacks any documentation, and a Typewritten Page that connects Alan Wake to Control in their shared canon, among many others. Control’s Threshold Kids educational videos are also subversively haunting, and more tone-setting details like these would be incredible to see in a sequel to maintain that eerie atmosphere.

Control 2 Can Capitalize on Eerie SCP Influences

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Control 2 seems to be in early development at the moment, and there are a number of different directions the sequel could take. Control having a follow-up sequel may have seemed like a no-brainer, though it took over 10 years for Alan Wake to announce its own sequel, and Quantum Break still has not had a follow-up. Recently, Remedy officially announced Control 2 with a piece of concept art. This concept art does not reveal much, and that is a low bar anyway since Control is prone to having mind-bending illusions and reality distortions. Control 2 could follow Jesse Faden again, this time as Director of the Federal Bureau of Control, or may follow a new protagonist’s narrative in the same world.

Instead of rehashing Control’s Hiss antagonist for the sequel, Control 2 could strictly have players thwarting Altered Item containment breaches. This would securely plant it in that atmosphere, where Jesse could be responsible for going out into the world outside the FBC in order to investigate, monitor, and apprehend potential Altered Items. This way, Control 2 could be completely unabashed in its inspirations and have unique SCP entries of its own for players to follow beyond what the first game teased and featured as side content. However, no matter which direction the sequel is taken, it would be a shame if Remedy decides not to draw on more ideas from the SCP Foundation.

Control 2 is in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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