Control is hardly the only game exploring alternate dimensions and traveling across reality these days. Game Freak just did as much in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, where fans play as a teenager displaced in time who builds a new life in the Hisui region. Remedy tells lots of supernatural stories in Control, but focuses mostly on people who are used to the paranatural in some way, rather than people only just learning about it. Control 2 could open up a lot of interesting story possibilities by introducing Jesse to characters newly adapting to a mysterious change in their lives, much like the Pokemon Legends: Arceus protagonist and Ingo.
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Control’s Familiarity With the Unknown
The vast majority of characters that Jesse encounters in Control are already comfortable encountering the paranatural to some degree. That stands to reason, of course, since the entire game takes place inside the Bureau headquarters, where Bureau personnel have spent decades grappling with mysteries. Still, it’s strange how even Control’s notable Bureau outsiders already have some level of familiarity with the paranatural. Jesse is rarely shocked by otherwordly things, since she has spent years interacting with Polaris, and Alan Wake is steeped in paranatural events when he makes an appearance in a Control DLC.
Since so many Control characters are already accustomed to the paranatural, it seems logical that Control 2 will diversify its cast by introducing some newcomers, whether they’re Bureau employees or victims of paranatural events. Pokemon Legends: Arceus provides some good examples of how to do this. On the one hand, the protagonist performs admirably in the face of great change and learns a lot about their supernatural lot in life. On the other, Ingo works hard to settle into his new home, but generally doesn’t seek out answers for why he got stranded in Hisui in the first place. Both of these ways of confronting the supernatural could be adapted to inspire new NPCs in Control.
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Control Could Use Some Outsiders
The story of Control 2 might be more interesting if it features a broader range of perspectives on how to respond to the supernatural. For example, while Jesse is inquisitive like the Pokemon Legends: Arceus protagonist, she has already been aware of the paranatural for years by the start of the game. Control 2 could introduce a character who has only just learned about the paranatural but eagerly embraces learning about it, allowing Jesse to bond with someone else who feels at home when dealing with the unknown. A more extreme version of Ingo might also be interesting; Control 2 could feature a character who cooperates with the Bureau after a paranatural experience but avoids learning much about the Bureau’s work out of fear of the unknown.
As a whole, the central narrative of Control is strong, since it tells an intimate story about Jesse’s perspective on reality and her relationships with Polaris and Dylan. However, Control 2 can’t simply copy Control’s narrative structure, now that Jesse is reunited with Dylan and closely tied to the Bureau. Instead, Control 2 should try to broaden Jesse’s horizons by surrounding her with characters who have newly encountered the paranatural and are trying to adapt to it in a variety of ways. Sharply constrasting perspectives and similar worldviews alike can help Jesse think more broadly about the Bureau and the life she has chosen, and Pokemon Legends: Arceus could help inspire those perspectives.
Control 2 is in development.
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