18 Games You Should Play If You Like Control

Highlights

• Control is a unique action game with a chilling atmosphere and a focus on exploration that sets it apart from other big-budget titles.
• Fans of Control will find other games like Metroid Prime, Portal 2, Dead Space, Heavy Rain, Death Stranding, and Returnal to be in line with their tastes.
• These games offer immersive experiences, captivating storylines, and innovative gameplay mechanics that will appeal to fans of Control.

Remedy’s Control is a unique beast. The 3D action game gives players a unique toolset with which to dispatch enemies, and its setting, The Oldest House is a uniquely chilling environment that begs exploration in order to uncover its deepest mysteries. Big-budget action games rarely encourage discovery in such a fashion. For those who finished Control and are looking for something more to play, there are more than enough games to suit their fancy.

Not all of these titles are one-to-one replicas of the new title from the Finnish studio, but they all have at least one thing linking them. After all, there is nothing else truly like Control, and fans can’t wait to see the next chapter in Jesse’s journey when Remedy Entertainment finally releases a much-awaited sequel to this masterpiece. The amazing combat, chilling story, and haunting atmosphere will stick in the minds of fans long after they’ve finished playing this incredible title.

Updated on December 7, 2023 by Ritwik Mitra: Control is one of Remedy’s best games and brought back the trust players had for this revolutionary developer. With Alan Wake 2’s lauded release, players can’t get enough of this studio’s offerings. Titles like Control are bound to enter the mainstream again, but many Remedy fans have already played this title to death. Thankfully, there are more than enough titles in the same vein to keep them entertained if players want something in line with this glorious supernatural title.

18 Metroid Prime

A Sci-Fi First-Person Shooter Starring The Famous Galactic Bounty Hunter, Samus

The idea of the Metroid series turning into an FPS title worried many fans, who felt that a focus on action would take away from the amazing exploration that made the original side-scrolling series such a massive hit. So, fans were glad to see that Metroid Prime helped the franchise evolve in a natural manner while modernizing the gameplay to help new fans get into this amazing series.

The Metroid Prime trilogy is one of the finest sci-fi shooters that players can get their hands on, and Switch fans were pretty elated to experience the first game in the series with updated visuals, even if the price point and the inclusion of a single game rubbed many players the wrong way. Regardless, fans of Control who want to get immersed in a legendary sci-fi video game series will find Metroid Prime to be right up their alley.

17 Portal 2

A Charming Puzzle Game With Portals That’s Surprisingly Mysterious

The first Portal game was a pleasant surprise, packed in Valve’s Orange Box collection and surprising players with its mix of ingenious puzzle design and an excellent antagonist that has become one of the greatest characters in video game history. So, it’s easy to see why so many players loved the idea of a sequel that would expand on this game’s concepts in every way.

Given Valve’s amazing track record, it’s easy to see why Portal 2 ended up shattering all expectations to become one of the best video games ever made. The gameplay was expanded upon, and the introduction of Wheatley allowed Chell and Glados to share some great moments as they tried to prevent this rogue AI from going berserk with the immense power that he held in the palm of his hand.

16 Dead Space

An Action-Horror Game Focused On Exploration And Combat

Many people felt like Dead Space looked gorgeous enough to not warrant a remake, but EA definitely pulled out all the stops when it came to modernizing this single-player horror game for a new generation of gamers. The visuals look drop-dead gorgeous, the gameplay has been tweaked in certain aspects, and some levels have been expanded in meaningful ways to let players enjoy the strengths of the first Dead Space game even more.

Dead Space is a game that can be pretty terrifying at times, but the survival element is pretty lean. Ammo may seem scarce, but most players would agree that they never really faced the danger of running out of this valuable resource as long as they were prudent about exploring each and every corner of the map. Hopefully, this remake opens the doors for a Dead Space 2 remake, and a third game that’s actually in line with the spirit of this horror series instead of turning into a co-op action game that is littered with microtransactions.

15 Heavy Rain

Story-Focused Adventure Game Shrouded In Mystery

Control featured some great gameplay elements that tied together well with its beautiful visuals and strange but captivating storyline. Those who want another story-driven experience can drop into Heavy Rain, which dials back the combat elements for something more traditionally interactive, giving players a front-row seat to a thrilling narrative that is wonderfully acted and a treat for the eyes.

Heavy Rain may not feature the same action-heavy sequences that Control does, but it has its own series of high-octane quick-time events that will have players scrambling to hit the appropriate buttons with precision timing, upping the game’s interactivity.

14 Death Stranding

A Unique Walking Simulator With A Mysterious, Paranormal World

Control has its own moments of strange otherworldly action, with supernatural elements in a sense, all outlined by some beautiful visuals and interesting yet fun gameplay. A similar game, in that regard, is Death Stranding. Players who are unfamiliar with Hideo Kojima and his strange yet incredible storylines will likely see Death Stranding as a supremely weird adventure from the outside.

The gameplay is odd, the storyline is supernaturally strange, and the visuals are off-the-wall. But underneath the odd surface lies a great adventure with unique mechanics that’s a pretty enjoyable experience for anyone who sticks with it.

13 Returnal

An Incredible Story Told In A Time Loop With Roguelike Elements

Anyone who enjoyed Control and is seeking something a bit more challenging may want to consider picking up Returnal. This Playstation-exclusive third-person roguelike has a similar graphical aesthetic, although Returnal‘s design is much more rooted in space exploration. The protagonist finds herself trapped in an alien world and suffering from the effects of a time loop, which helps to set up the gameplay and “returning” mechanic.

Players should be prepared to put up a fight, as Returnal is pretty difficult from a combat standpoint. It’s addictively fun, though, and should keep players coming back for more punishment as they attempt to get further in a given “run” each time.

12 Deadly Premonition

A Bizarre Adventure Game With A Solid, Fun Mystery

It is no secret that Control is heavily influenced by Twin Peaks. To be fair, most media after the early ’90s takes at least some inspiration from the landmark television series. Deadly Premonition more heavily wears this influence on its sleeve.

The supernatural storyline and bizarre characters feel like it could be right at home in a David Lynch film. It is recommended to stay far away from the sequel to this cult classic, however. The Nintendo Switch exclusive suffers from severe technical issues.

11 Beyond: Two Souls

A Paranormal Adventure Game With A Nonlinear Narrative

Quantic Dreams’ games are not for everyone. They are extremely narrative-focused, with the gameplay mostly being quick-time events and moving around. Enjoyment largely depends on how much one enjoys the story. Anyone who appreciates supernatural mysteries dealing with different realms of existence and the afterlife could do a lot worse in the medium than Beyond: Two Souls. Elliot Page stars as the player character and Willem Dafoe also lends his talents to a role. Like Control, the main character is guided by a mysterious, supernatural force.

10 Max Payne

A Noir Revenge Story That Sparked Remedy’s Rise To Fame

Max Payne‘s darkly tragic tale was not Remedy’s first game, but it put them on the map and established them as one of the most talented development studios. The grounded, gritty crime story is a far cry from the supernatural chills Control gives off, but one can still feel the shared DNA between the two.

Don’t stop at the first Max Payne, either; Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne is an underrated masterpiece. The third game was not developed by Remedy, but it is an equally compelling title. James McCaffrey, the voice and likeness of Zachariah Trench, voices the titular character.

9 The Sinking City

A Great Mystery Game Set In The Sherlock Holmes Universe

Frogwares, based in the divinely beautiful Kiev, Ukraine, made a name for themselves with their Sherlock Holmes detective titles. The Sibnking City retains the investigation mechanics but transposes it to an H.P. Lovecraft-inspired setting. Combat also plays a bigger role than in their prior titles.

The main character’s sanity is constantly in question, and the player often has to wonder if what they see is really happening. While Jesse Faden never questions if the bizarre experiences she has are real, the supernatural story in The Sinking City may tickle a similar fancy for those who enjoyed Control’s narrative.

8 Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night

An Excellent Metroidvania That Continues The Castlevania Legacy

Control is billed as a Metroidvania and is one of the few in the genre built in a 3D environment on a sizable budget. For those interested in diving into a more traditional example of the genre, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night will oblige in spades. The game was produced by Koji Igarashi, who also worked on Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, which is still considered the best the genre has to offer. The more tried and true Metroidvania won’t be for everyone, but they’re at least worth trying.

7 BioShock

A First-Person Narrative Adventure Set In A Mysterious Location

The underwater city of Rapture is one of gaming’s most iconic settings. Like Control’s Oldest House, the dilapidated metropolis feels alive, as if it is a character within the game, though the dirty and flooded areas are a stark contrast to The Oldest House’s sterile office environments.

The gameplay also relies on special powers like telekinesis to spice up combat. Much like Remedy’s game, BioShock starts players with no knowledge of the city or what happened, only slowly unraveling the mystery as they progress. Control fixed the developer’s boss problem, but BioShock will make Remedy fans feel at home with its equally underwhelming final encounter.

6 Arkham Asylum

An Amazing Superhero Video Game With Mind-Bending Moments

While Arkham City and Arkham Knight went bigger, something about Arkham Asylum’s tighter setting still makes it valuable in comparison to the other Arkham games.

Rocksteady’s first Batman title does not try to be a free-roaming adventure, yet the asylum is brimming with secrets, and the sense of discovery is just as strong in this as it is in the later titles. Triple-A games seldom get the opportunity to put in so many secrets and give the player the ability to explore, so one really has to savor it when one does come along.

5 System Shock

A Great Horror-Focused Immersive Sim Set In A Desolate Spaceship

The two System Shock games had a huge impact on the genre. Like its spiritual successor, BioShock, players have little knowledge of the mess they find themselves in at first, only to discover the truth as they traverse the isolated ship.

The principal difference between System Shock and later games of the genre is the horror elements; System Shock will make the squeamish wet their pants with its atmospheric terror. Both titles in the series are over twenty years old, but, thanks to gog.com they are easy to find and run on modern operating systems.

4 Quantum Break

A Classic Remedy Entertainment Action Game With A Focus On Time Powers

Quantum Break was Remedy’s prior effort before Control. It was also their last game under Microsoft before regaining independence. Like Control, the studio utilized impressive performance capture technology to put notable actors like Sean Ashmore and Courtney Hope into the game.

The narrative was also experimental, as the gameplay was separated by live-action sequences rivaling the length of television shows. The format was loved by some and loathed by others, but most agreed their implementation of live-action footage was done better in Control.

3 Second Sight

Focuses On A Psychic Amnesiac Who Tries To Escape The Facility He’s Trapped In

Second Sight was only one of two titles from Free Radical that wasn’t a TimeSplitters game, and the only one worth its weight in disc space since Haze was severely disappointing.

The action game puts players in the shoes of an amnesiac who possesses psychic abilities. He uses his powers to escape the facility he is held in and uncover his mysterious past. David Doak is credited as a writer, a name some may recognize from Goldeneye on the N64. Free Radical unfortunately doesn’t exist anymore, so the future for the series is uncertain.

2 Half-Life

One Of The Greatest Sci-Fi First-Person Shooters Ever Made

This first-person shooter revolutionized the genre. It all took place in one environment, told its story organically through gameplay, and never took control away from the player.

Seeing Black Mesa as a normal, functioning research facility before their science experiment goes terribly wrong helped players feel the impact of the monstrous invasion. It lacks the player progression from Control, but the setting sticks in players’ minds, much like The Oldest House. The sequel is also a landmark title in the genre, but there is something special about the first game and how it takes place entirely in the research facility. Additionally, the modding community took this game to a whole new level.

1 Alan Wake 2

One Of Remedy Entertainment’s Most Eccentric Games

It’s rare for AAA video games in the modern era to do something risky, bold, and innovative. So, props should given to Remedy for turning Alan Wake 2 into a game that is arguably the very best this studio has released.

Alan Wake 2 is a revolutionary title that seeks to combine all of Remedy’s games into a shared universe and does so in a manner only possible via the medium of video games. Even if fans haven’t played the first Alan Wake title, it’s more than worth it to check out the second game and see what this series does so well.