What Control 2’s Genre Switch-Up Could Mean for its Gameplay

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 22, 2024 16 Views 7 Min Read
What Control 2’s Genre Switch-Up Could Mean for its Gameplay



Key Takeaways

  • Control
    is mainly a third-person shooter with RPG-lite elements and Metroidvania-style level design.
  • Control 2
    is transitioning to the “action RPG” genre, hinting at more player freedom and diverse gameplay.
  • The sequel could expand on previous items like upgrades and weapons, and possibly feature a new plot structure.



Remedy Entertainment’s Control marked a new era for the developer in a number of ways in 2019. After the somewhat uneven reception of its previous release, Quantum Break, and the ensuing IP ownership issues with Microsoft, the studio forged ahead with Control. The title introduced players to an SCP-flavored setting and story that contained many of Remedy’s signature traits. It also was the first game that united the studio’s other properties under a larger shared world labeled the Remedy Connected Universe. Control connected to the Alan Wake franchise though its final DLC, and set the stage for both to carry forward under this united vision.

When Remedy launched Alan Wake 2 last year, it highlighted its switch from the original’s action-adventure design into the survival horror genre. Now, it seems the developer is doing something similar, as it recently announced that Control 2 will be an “action RPG.” While this might sound rather vague on the surface, it nevertheless provides some possible clues as to how Remedy intends to iterate on Control 2, and what it might mean for its gameplay designs.


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How Control 2’s Switch to An ‘Action RPG’ Could Impact Its Gameplay

Control Is Mostly a Third-Person Action-Adventure

At its core, Control is essentially a third-person shooter. Players are armed with the versatile Service Weapon that functions as a variety of standard roles, like pistol, shotgun, and sniper rifle. Protagonist Jesse Faden also makes use of a range of supernatural powers like telekinesis and levitation that complement the shooting and impart an excellent sense of power fantasy. Fans unlock a couple of other powers during the course of a plot as well, with these all being doled out in a fairly linear manner.


Control‘s level design is also highly reminiscent of a Metroidvania game. Though the Oldest House may not be the most massive of maps, it is densely packed. There are optional encounters and secrets to uncover, many of which require paying close attention to the environment and extensive backtracking.

It should be noted that Control does contain some RPG-adajacent elements. Jesse has a set of skill trees through which fans can upgrade the Service Weapon and her powers, choosing to focus on the ones they prefer. Players can also equip personal mods that impart some extra bonuses like damage buffs and improved recharge rates. But these were pretty limited in the grand scheme of things, and not as in-depth as the genre normally goes. If Control 2 embraces RPG aspects more heavily, as Remedy states, it is likely to go much further with these and potentially other areas too.


How Control 2’s Gameplay Might Morph Into a More Rounded RPG Experience

Control was already quite action-oriented, but by explicitly invoking the RPG genre, Remedy could be signaling an intent to give fans much more freedom in how they can approach either Control 2‘s mechanics and story. Control 2 could encompass a couple of the genre components that either weren’t present in the original, or have room to be greatly expanded upon. This may include items like:

  • An extensive pool of upgradable/craftable gear and cosmetics
  • Meaningful player-based choices that affect the characters and plot
  • Multiple protagonists or storylines
  • Different and more diverse powers
  • A semi-open world or many locations instead of a single condensed area

Though this all remains speculation for the moment, it is intriguing to consider what exactly Remedy means by the sequel being more of an action RPG, and how this choice will alter or expand the first game’s base design. Regardless, Control 2‘s future is looking bright, and hopefully Remedy provides more details soon about what this change will actually impact.

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