Control's Ashtray Maze sequence is arguably the BEST moment/sequence/set-piece of this Generation

[BladeRunner2099]

I recently finished Control and I just couldn't get this sequence out of my mind, the art direction/level design that went into this is simply sublime. I had a huge grin on my face playing this sequence. Weirdly, when I tried to replay the entire ashtray maze, it skips me to the end. The only other mission that gave me this kind of amazement was the Titanfall 2 Campaign. Not everything is amazing though,I didnt really feel the gunplay to be honest.

Spoiler

The best part was Jesse saying 'That was awesome

'

After listening to Jesse, I was like I see what you did there Remedy, absolutely love it when Developers have fun ;)

Especially listening to 'Old Guards of Asgard -Take Control' during the whole sequence was completely unexpected but cool.





Era, how was your experience playing this sequence in particular?

Thread Note: I think this one sequence defines Remedy, the studio. The world building, level design, art direction, personality & music. Looking at the thread responses, definitely mixed for a few people but that also sums up Remedy.

 

[Kaiken]

This sequence was so unexpected but cool.

 

[TheInfinityGauntlet]

it's very cool but the recency bias is crazy

 

[Hektor]

This sequence was so unexpected but cool.

 

[Hamchan]

This sequence was so expected but cool.

 

[Magic Mushroom]

Control is filled with great moments, like this, the Finnish Tango and

Spoiler

Darling's rendition of Dynamite

.

Awesome game.

 

[Jarmel]

Yea that was a lot of fun. Definitely Remedy at their best. I wish more of the game had played with the geometry like that during combat.

 

[Brutalitops]

This sequence was so cool but unexpected

 

[Luckett_X]

Will probably be my gaming highlight of the year.

Good luck Kojima.

 

[kyle mechlachlan]

Honestly not even the best moment in that game.

 

[Patitoloco]

It's absurd how damn good it is.

Remedy is a master of this stuff.

 

[Fonst]

I wasn't too blown away by it because I stumbled across the place earlier in my play through so I already had an idea of what was going to happen. Lessened the impact but still was pretty cool.

Far from sequence of generation but it was a lot of fun.

 

[WyLD iNk]

Haven't played this, but it gives me flashbacks to American McGee's Alice.

 

[Bushido]

Someone hasn't played Dishonored 2 or Titanfall 2, it seems...still one of the few standout moments in Control, I'll give you that.

 

[fontguy]

That music is distractingly bad.

 

[Tennis]

Loved the game but didn't like the sequance. Reminded me of the ending of Super Mario Odyssey with that edgy Sonic The Hedgehog-esque song on the background.

 

[DriftingSpirit]

I just did this last night.

Great stuff.

 

[cowbanana]

It was ok, but that was it for me. Nice combination of visuals and music but eh... it didn't rock my foundation in any meaningful way. The whole game is overrated around here, imo. It has moments of interest throughout but ultimately it's a meaningless wet art house fart that blows away in the wind. They failed to go anywhere with all their teasing and world building. The experience falls flat and goes nowhere. The protagonist also wins most boring protag of the year, the actress has nothing to work with compared to her much more engrossing and interesting role/character in Quantum Break.

 

[TRUE ORDER]

It was a great way to surprise the player, the music, design and progession were really cool!

I love what Remedy did with this title.

 

[astro]

I find this game is creeping me out so much. I have a kind of Lofcraftian phobia of "seeing being the veil", or looking up into the night sky and seeing a giant eye roll open... and this game makes me feel like that shit is going to happen to me at any moment.

The refrigerator encounter... that was spooky af.

 

[Deleted member 3183]

It's a great sequence, but not the way the guy in the YouTube video that OP posted is playing it. It's way more fun when you're running and playing it fast and frenetic. Not sauntering along like you're out for a nice stroll on a summer's day.

 

[ket]

I liked it but this thread title is kinda hyperbolic.

 

[Hype-Lord]

If Mad Max: Fury Road was a video game sequence.

 

[Chris McQueen]

Looks like The Stanley Hotel.

 

[iamthatiam]

when that section began i couldn't stop grinning.

 

[closer]

I liked it but i still rate the end sequence in INSIDE the most this gen for stuff like this

 

[Protome]

I liked it but i still rate the end sequence in INSIDE the most this gen for stuff like this

Click to shrink...

I'll never understand this tbh.

 

[Decarb]

Yes it was. And the mission leading up to it was too.

 

[Deleted member 45414]

It's great, best moment in the game definitely, but not sold on it being the best moment of this generation.

 

[Fractology]

It would have been more effective for me if the environment was doing its thing during the combat encounters. As it stands, it's basically you walking through a cool animation into the next boxed off arena...wait for you to kill everything...walk through another cool animation. It was visually appealing but didn't really do anything for the gameplay.

I thought there were other more interesting sections in this game. But in all honesty, the more time that passes since I finished the game, the more I cool on the whole experience. I think the initial impression here is shocking and stellar, but I agree that there is a huge amount of "recency bias."

 

[BareKnuckle]

Music ruined it for me, really awful music choice. I found the ashtray maze early on but couldn't progress (you'll know why when you get there) so I was looking forward to moving through it at a later time, but man the music was just awful.

 

[Z-Beat]

It was really cool. The contrast between it and the tone of the rest of the game is insane. It felt really tongue in cheek.

 

[hydruxo]

I saw a video of this on Twitter a few weeks ago and it singlehandedly made me want to buy the game

 

[S1kkZ]

the visuals in combination with the music...it was just perfect. one of my favourite gaming moments in the last few years.

 

[Tengrave]

Just did this last night. I love Control so much.

 

[BackwoodsAltar]

Worst part of the game for me. The music definitely didn't help.

 

[KiLAM]

Wouldn't say it was the BEST of this gen but it was definitely an incredible sequence and one of the highlights of the game.

 

[SofNascimento]

You're correct.

And I think in some ways it is rreminiscent of Max Payne's dreams in the first two games. A if Remedy was just waiting for the technology to be right so they could craft such an awesome moment.

 

[Arkeband]

It was cool but Jesus Christ, the hyperbole here just screams "reply to me". This generation is long and has had better sequences than an enemy gauntlet set to Poets of the Fall.

 

[Joris-truly]

Unexpected sure, but cringed when the music kicked in. Terrible

 

[Mr_Kuschels]

It was okay.

 

[PsionBolt]

I haven't played this game, so forgive me if I'm missing something, but I can't help but feel like "maze" is rather an exaggerated name, given that this appears to be a completely linear hallway.

The double jump / hover / throw stuff combat looks pretty alright though. The endlag on the airdash looks painful to use, but otherwise the movement seems fun. I hope this hallway isn't actually the highlight of the game's level design; you could do a lot more with movement like that than long corridors and big empty rooms of baddies.

 

[dabbert]

cringe music
regular gameplay
nonstandard but standard level design
"This Generation?" 👀

 

[Phil's Empty Chair]

It was fun but far from the best.

 

[Shelbyville Milhouse]

What about this tho

Spoiler

 

[Alien Bob]

It was a cool little moment but goddamn

 

[Duxxy3]

It was right there with the Titanfall 2 section. I think I'd still put the Titanfall 2 section over it because it played out more smoothly. The tank enemy slows down the pace of the ashtray maze.

 

[Xx 720]

Was really cool, the game as a whole stands out as well.

 

[Deleted member 23046]

I had tried to solve the maze without the proper object to do it, I felt like in a Rusty Lake game. 🤪

One of my favorite moment is just after you met the janitor, if you try yo go back to the entrance your are stuck in a loop. And when you discover Hedron/Polaris containment, you feel like a child with a pierced balloon.

But overall all the game was surprising at every corner.
I hope US sales won't compromise their plans or motivation.

 

[Dec]

I haven't played this game, so forgive me if I'm missing something, but I can't help but feel like "maze" is rather an exaggerated name, given that this appears to be a completely linear hallway.

The double jump / hover / throw stuff combat looks pretty alright though. The endlag on the airdash looks painful to use, but otherwise the movement seems fun. I hope this hallway isn't actually the highlight of the game's level design; you could do a lot more with movement like that than long corridors and big empty rooms of baddies.

Click to shrink...

You can come here earlier and it is a neverending maze that always leads you back to the start through various turns.

This happens after you continue the story and come back later with an item allowing you to make it through.

So ya maze isn't really the perfect name because you cannot actually navigate your way through it.

 

[Rndom Grenadez]

Can't wait until it comes out on Gamepass! Haha

No but seriously, that looked awesome but I'm inundated with games currently so it'll have to wait until Christmas time.