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I finished Control, and wanted to do a tiny analysis on the art direction (what I think they did and how it informed the game). Everything is my own opinion bla bla, spoilers lala
Control - Apt name even for the art direction.
When we enter we are greeted with this 60s office/ bunker look with the clean concrete, floors, wooden panels and modernist furniture which is a great entry point to ground us into this world by starting with something familiar.
When we enter we are greeted with this 60s office/ bunker look with the clean concrete, floors, wooden panels and modernist furniture which is a great entry point to ground us into this world by starting with something familiar.
Eg of modernist furniture: this classic leather look reminiscent of many offices
The style they have set up is particularly important later. Most of the environment is of low saturation with pops of colour for interest/variation.
Even the items in the vending machine are white ( neutral or low saturation)
Even the items in the vending machine are white ( neutral or low saturation)
This neutral colour theme continues in the Astral Plane, with small gold patterns to hint at mystical quality
So it's to great effect when they use strong colours to let the player know what's happening: enemies, sense of impending danger, etc
It also allows for great colour grading effects, you see the purples and blues encroaching on the bg
It also allows for great colour grading effects, you see the purples and blues encroaching on the bg
It's even better when they colour-coded some events in the game so the players subconsciously know what is happening. Red - obviously enemies
Mystical events - this blue/green tone. Loki is implied to have connections to the Astral plane; his office has blue undertones
Mystical events - this blue/green tone. Loki is implied to have connections to the Astral plane; his office has blue undertones
External gateways / entrances - This particular bright yellow
This section in the game where it's washed out to imply loss of personality
The game also reinforces the implication of the Oldest House as being bigger on the inside than the outside through the use of atmospheric bloom - it feels like we're outside even though we know we're supposed to be in an interior location
It further reinforces the mystical impossibilty of the house through the use of repetition and escher-esque geo. This also makes it easy to show the chaos of the blocks when invaded vs a more normal, controlled state. The ever changing Ashtray maze is the sum of all of these.
That's pretty much it, really great use of elements when combined to make really amazing atmosphere and sense of space. Some fun bonus shots - love it when games add in things like this
