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For fans of New Weird, last year's Control was a dream come true. This dream now continues with the Control Foundation DLC, which launched just last week! We've spoken already about the importance of this game in the grand scheme of things, but we could write entire books about the topic, truth be told. Instead of boring you to death, we decided to provide a short overview of the Foundation DLC!
Basically, what you're about to read is a short and to-the-point spoiler-free overview of the Foundation. You'll learn what to expect and what not to expect, and what novelties this expansion brings with. We'll also try and spin the yarn about what we anticipate from the second Control DLC, but all in due time!
What is the Control Foundation DLC? How long is it?
It's 2020, and it seems that narrative-oriented expansion packs are the norm yet once more. Control's Foundation DLC is a prime example of this, and if you're even slightly invested in the Cronenberg-esque narrative of the game, Foundation is a must-play. If you've already played through the main campaign of Control, you know what's up by the end of it. Foundation continues immediately afterward, and you'll have to go hunt for a certain character that goes missing at the start of the game.
The exact story beats covered by Foundation we'll explain a bit further below, but for the time being, it's important to understand that Foundation is basically Episode 1 to Control's Half-Life. However, Remedy was kind enough to equip Jesse with a few devastating new powers. These make all the difference, far as gameplay is concerned.
Expect for the main story of Foundation to last for about 4-5 hours, but side-quests should add a bit more to this stat.
What's new in this expansion for Control?
If you finished Control with a yearning to play more of it, Foundation is what you're looking for. It's like a booster pack of Control, and that's precisely what we wanted out of it. Jesse is back to being slightly exasperated at the weirdness she's confronted with. Naturally, there's plenty of butt-kicking in the interim, too! To pursue her new objective, Jesse gets two all-new powers to use for mobility and combat. Naturally, there's a new Hiss-infested enemy to contend with, too, as well as a few boss fights along the way.
The new level - an expansion of the Foundation from the base game - is suitably massive and layered. Control is pretty much a three-dimensional Metroidvania, and it shows. Prepare to make good use of levitation, especially in some of the expansion's side-missions. It's great fun, even if the Astral Plane's red sand does get a bit repetitive by the end.
Back to new powers: Jesse will earn the ability to either create or demolish crystalline growths that appear often in the new levels. Nothing entirely game-changing, but it makes for a solid change of pace when things really come into place. Most importantly, the Shape ability adds another layer to Jesse's awesome mobility features. Also worth noting is that you'll have to pick between the Create and Fracture functions. Depending on which sub-ability you go with first, the first half of the Foundation differs quite a lot.
Where does the narrative go?
As we said before: Marshall is the focal point of the Control Foundation DLC. Marshall, the Board, and the Former, to speak more broadly. Remember the fridge boss fight from the base game? Yeah, that was Former, and we hope you didn't think you actually killed an extradimensional entity such as itself. It's back, yes, but no longer as a mere boss fight. Expect to learn a great deal about the Former and the Board here, as well as for Marshall's role in all of this to finally be made clear. We were pleasantly surprised by how seriously Jesse took to her role as Director, too. In true Weird fashion, she's always been a bit of a wildcard, but now it feels like she's really coming into her own. Expect a fascinating new conflict in the making, too.
In truth, we're very happy to see that Remedy didn't pull Marshall out of the base game for naught, and that her story thread did end up getting a satisfying conclusion. Weird media such as Twin Peaks is practically infamous for letting story threads loose. In comparison, Control is far more structured than that, for better or worse.
Far as we were concerned, the Foundation DLC is a satisfying continuation of everything Control stands for. For fans of the game, getting this expansion amounts to a slam-dunk, really!
Most importantly: is Control Foundation DLC truly Weird?
Admit it: you were wondering if Foundation is any less inspired than the base game was. We're happy to say that it isn't! In fact, a few sections feel almost as badass as the iconic Ashtray Maze. We're very much looking forward to what awaits in Control's next (and supposedly final) expansion: AWE.
As you may or may not know, Control is set in the same universe as Alan Wake, and word has it that the two games will be connected even more intimately in the Altered World Event expansion. Coincidentally, the acronym also stands for 'Alan Wake Event', so make of that what you will! Stay tuned for more on Remedy's incredible Weird universe as we get it, and in the meantime, be sure to play Control if you haven't yet. It's a must-play for those who are keen on the weird around us!
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