Control: AWE

PLAYED ON: Xbox One S

Control's second and final DLC: Alerted World Events (or AWE, for short) revisits a familiar character that most gamers know of. Alan Wake. So, to understand & get all the references, I played Alan Wake (the game which came out in 2010) before getting into this DLC.

In AWE, there is a brand-new area of the Oldest House to explore and plenty of knowledge to gain for fans of both Alan Wake and Control alike. There were many easter eggs and references to the events that happened in Alan Wake, but this DLC is an amazing attempt to bring together Remedy's Connected Universe.

Jesse Faden is tasked by the Board to investigate the Special Investigations department. Once there you’ll find the mysterious light switch that transports you to Oceanview Hotel and introduces Jesse to the infamous author himself – well, a vision of him, anyway. Emil Hartman, the psychiatrist from Alan Wake, has been captured and experimented upon by the bureau – what’s left is a twisted monster that is haunting the sector. It's astonishing how AWE’s focus on Alan Wake allows Control to engage its players as a horror game. And yes, you'll need the help of light to defeat the monster in the dark ;)

CONCLUSION:

I finished AWE with a yearning for more Alan Wake and Control. This DLC is an enjoyable few hours back in the world of the Bureau, but more importantly a great first step into Remedy’s Connected Universe that ties Alan Wake into Control in a wonderful way.

There is plenty to figure out in AWE and it’s safe to say that the future of the Remedy Connected Universe looks bright.

TSHC's SCORE: 7.5/10