A new AAA title has just dropped on the iPhone and iPad, and it’s one of the best games ever to make it to the Apple devices. Control Ultimate Edition is now officially listed on App Store, bringing Remedy‘s paranormal action title to iPadOS and iOS as a universal purchase, with support for touch controls and external controllers.
Remedy says the iOS version has been adapted specifically for mobile, with changes to the UI, aiming, and puzzles to make it work better on smaller screens instead of feeling like a lazy port.
Remedy
Why it’s one of the best and weirdest action games of the last few years
If you somehow missed Control the first time around, it is still one of Remedy’s coolest games. You play as Jesse Faden as she explores the Oldest House, a shape-shifting “government” building full of paranormal threats. Without spoiling anything, imagine eldritch horrors meet the SCP Foundation. While the initial pacing and gameplay loop might make it seem basic, the game really gets into the groove later on.
The mechanics are solid, the level design is top-tier, and the story is just confusing enough to keep you hooked. Hey, if that doesn’t immediately interest you, the game is also set in the same universe as Alan Wake, and loosely connected to Remedy’s older classic, Max Payne. Control isn’t just about shooting the bad guys (still viable), as you get access to powerful telekinetic powers that make every office fight look spectacular.
Remedy Entertainment
The cost is lighter than the download
The other nice surprise is the price. Remedy’s Control Ultimate Edition is listed for just $4.99 in the US. It is also a universal purchase across iPad, iPhone, and Mac. However, the game is massive for a mobile device, and you’ll have to make sure you have sufficient storage before jumping the gun. The iPhone and iPad versions need roughly 45GB, so this is not exactly a casual impulse download. Still, it’s not every day a game this good quietly shows up in your pocket.
Serials have become the backbone of the streaming era, especially on Netflix. Serialized television is when a show’s plot unfolds in sequential order over the course of a season. It’s long-form storytelling that typically works best with dramas—Stranger Things, The Crown, etc. Watching the episodes in release order matters. Often, these shows are binged because the complex character arcs and cliffhangers encourage streaming multiple episodes at once.
Serial shows can feel like homework, especially when you fall behind on an episode and need to catch up. That always happens to me, and it leads to anxiety I didn’t want. Thankfully, Netflix offers shows where viewers can jump at any time and not feel lost. These episodic series are perfect for jumping around and picking the episodes you want to watch. One of the most famous comedies ever fits the criteria of an episodic sitcom. Anthology shows, including a Netflix sci-fi classic, are also ideal for watching episodes out of order.
Black Mirror
Welcome to your worst nightmare
Black Mirrorwants to scare you. Charlie Brooker’s sci-fi anthology series has been warning humanity about the dangers of technology since 2011. It seems like ages ago that Rory Kinnear had sexual intercourse with a pig in the first episode. Apologies for the spoiler, but the media’s role in the spread of misinformation has never been more relevant.
Black Mirror features self-contained episodes with a beginning, middle, and an end. There has only been one direct sequel: USS Callister: Into Infinity, a season 7 episode that continues the events of season 4’s USS Callister. Otherwise, feel free to jump around and check out the best episodes of each season. Since most episodes feature bleak endings, I’ll leave you with one that ends on an upbeat note: San Junipero.
Seinfeld
Greatest comedy ever?
Comedies are the perfect vehicle for episodic storytelling. While having an overarching plot throughout a season helps attract viewers, many comedy fans are just looking for a few laughs. Write a self-contained story with numerous jokes over 20 to 30 minutes, and you’re ready to go. Seinfeld, aka the show about nothing, is the ideal escape from serialized dramas.
Seinfeld stars Jerry Seinfeld as a fictionalized version of himself as he navigates the comedic scene in New York City. The show revolves around Jerry’s interactions with his friends George (Jason Alexander), Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and Kramer (Michael Richards). The gang faces a problem, hilarity ensues, and the episode ends. That’s really all you need to know. Enjoy the laughs.
I hate referring to episodes of television as “mini-movies.” However, that’s how I would describe the eight episodes of Cabinet of Curiosities. Each director puts their own signature style on a story and brings audiences into their terrifying creation. Del Toro wrote two of the episodes, including one about a demon being summoned. Some are scarier than others, but horror fans will feel right at home with this series.
Beat Bobby Flay
Bobby brings the heat
As I’ve gotten older, the Food Network has become one of my favorite channels. I mean, who doesn’t love food? I love eating my (average) home-cooked meal while watching contestants duke it out in the kitchen onmy favorite show, Beat Bobby Flay. The competition breaks down into two rounds. In the first round, two chefs have 20 minutes to construct a meal using a secret ingredient. The winner advances to the main event, where they face off against Bobby Flay.
The challenger gets to pick the dish for the final round, so Bobby has a disadvantage. However, Bobby is an award-winning chef with a few tricks up his sleeves. He can handle making a version of your grandmother’s lasagna. With episodes available on Netflix, be prepared to learn why Bobby always throws chiles into his dishes.
S.W.A.T.
Broadcast TV still knows how to make entertaining programs
The procedural is a genre best produced on broadcast television. Name a cop, doctor, or law drama—chances are it’s a procedural on broadcast TV. While the way we watch television has changed, people still love these types of shows on CBS, NBC, Fox, and ABC. Law & Order, NCIS, and Criminal Minds are procedurals that gained a bigger following thanks to streaming.
S.W.A.T. is cut from the same cloth as Chicago P.D. and CSI. Sergeant Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore) is tasked with leading a new S.W.A.T. unit in the LAPD. This action-packed show utilizes a “case of the week” formula in which the team must solve a dangerous situation, such as active shooters and hostage situations. You’re in and out in 44 minutes. What’s better than that?
Netflix has more content coming your way
After you’re done watching these shows, stay on Netflix for more top-notch content. Netflix has an entire section dedicated to thrillers, and this week, The Guilty and El Camino are two of the section’s best. Keep an eye out for new movies, like Alan Ritchson’s War Machine, which is currently in the streamer’s top 10.
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