The run up to Christmas has brought with it a bunch of gaming sales, including on the PlayStation store.

Control

Back in 2019, Remedy released a very interesting game. I didn’t have hardware to play it at the time and it flew under my radar. It seems as though it would be an easy win for me. Another game from the developers of Max Payne and Alan Wake? Bring it on.

It begins rather mysteriously with our lead, Jesse Faden, walking into the headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC). Something is immediately off. There are no people around, barring the eccentric janitor mopping one of the corridors. You are offered a job as an assistant janitor, and a few moments later you’re the new Director of the FBC. I missed some steps in the story? Nope. This is a very odd and fascinating game, and the intrigue keeps building. As Director you are in contact with the Board, but not in the conventional business sense. The board speak in a cryptic manner and are represented on screen by an inverted black pyramid.

Do I know what’s going on? Nope. Do I want to know more? Yes, of course.

Control is a third person shooter with some added paranormal powers. Telekinesis is one of the early ones, and powers are gained by interacting with Objects of Power (OoPs). These are every day items imbued with paranormal power from a connection to the astral plane (I think?). We are still early on in our playthrough of Control so there is a lot that doesn’t make sense, but it’s compelling as hell.

Even the weapons are fascinating. The Service Weapon is carried by the Director resembles an ultra-modern revolver with parts that are shifting in space. This is the first form, and rather than picking up different weapons, you change the forms. There’s a scatter gun, a charge shot, and a rapid fire version.

The combat is quite satisfying and offers a reasonable degree of challenge. What’s even more impressive is how customisable the difficulty including aim assists, multipliers, immortality, and damage reduction among others.

From my experience so far, Control is definitely worth a go. A fascinating and satisfying experience.

Portugal, meet Plymouth

If you are looking for a little taste of Portugal in Plymouth, the Lisbon Bakery on Frankfort Gate is ideal. This family run café/restaurant offers a variety of confections including the ever popular nata (egg custard tarts) at the counter. The interior is fairly standard café, but the food is delicious and the staff are always friendly and welcoming.

Alongside the usual café and breakfast fare, the Lisbon Bakery offers a range of Portuguese specialties. I have had a francesinha (see above, the behemoth sandwich with steak, sausage, ham, cheese, and a beer and tomato sauce) before although it nearly killed me, so this time I went for something a bit different. Alheira, a soft Portuguese sausage, served with rice, salad, chips, and a fried egg. It was delicious and still provided a substantial meal at a reasonable price (£12).