Summer’s gaming drought has finally come to an end, as we get a slew of big-name releases to round out August. The action-adventure genre in particular looks extra enticing, as Control and Astral Chain both release this week.
What if you can only afford to get one of these highly anticipated titles though? Here, we compare the two and see whether Control or Astral Chain will be the better buy for you.
Story
Both Control and Astral Chain are right up any nerd’s alley when it comes to story, as the former places a heavy focus on sci-fi, where the latter is essentially a playable anime cop drama.
Regardless of your preference, the story drives each of these games.
No matter what medium a story is being told in, the pacing is always going to be vital for any narrative. In Astral Chain, the overall plot benefits greatly from its linear structure, as chapters are separated into specific Files that let players explore various missions throughout the open world.
Sure, the characters and setting throughout aren’t entirely groundbreaking, but the sheer scope of world-building that takes place in Astral Chain is more than enough to make up for it.
For Control, the eerie atmosphere of the Oldest House, and the circumstances surrounding the supernatural phenomenon occurring in it, has been alluring ever since promotional material revealed the game’s premise.
If you ask Ed McGlone, Twinfinite’s editor in chief who reviewed the game, Control and its overall narrative fail to fully embrace this premise.
Instead, it seems to play it safe, featuring a standard main character, somewhat predictable twists, and far too many unanswered questions by the end of things.
So even though Control brought forth a lot of potential to the table, Astral Chain wins this round thanks to solid pacing and vast world-building.
Winner: Astral Chain
