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Remedy Entertainment’s 2019 title,Control, became a sleeper hit among gamers, earning critical acclaim from both players and critics. While its gameplay and narrative were highly praised, what truly stood out to many was its stunning visuals. The game showcasedsome of the best ray tracing implementationavailable at the time, setting a new benchmark for graphical fidelity in video games.
However, those impressive visuals came at a cost. WhileControlwas optimized for mid-range hardware, enablingray tracing required a high-end PC. Even modern GPUs can struggle to handle the game with all RT features enabled. The guide below outlines the best graphics settings to balance visual quality and performance, ensuring your game looks fantastic and runs smoothly.
Which DirectX Version and Mod to Select in Control?
DirectX Version
The first decision you’ll make when launchingControlisselecting which DirectX version to use. The choice is straightforward:
Unofficial Comprehensive Patch
If you want to experienceControlin its full glory, consider downloading and installing amod created by a developer who worked at Remedy. This mod introduces several enhancements to the base game, including but not limited to:
To install the mod, download and extract its contents, then navigate to the Control installation folder on your PC. Copy and paste the extracted files into the game directory, and you’re ready to go.
Native (DLAA if Mod used) (requires RTX GPU)
Ultra (MAX if Mod used)
Motion Blur
Off
By default, texture streaming inControlcan be lacking, causing noticeable pop-ins close to the camera. To enhance this aspect, you can use the previously mentioned mod, which significantly improves texture streaming quality. After installing the mod, simply set theTexture Resolution to MAXin the game settings.
Recommended Ray Tracing Settings for Control
Even thoughControllooks phenomenal with ray tracingenabled, it’s often recommended to avoid using it for a few reasons:
If you’re determined to use ray tracing, the settings below will help you strike a balance between performance and visual enhancements.
Recommended Setting
Ray Tracing Reflections
This setting swaps Raster Reflections for RT Reflections. Screen Space Reflection Quality must be set to at least Medium for it to work.
On
Ray Traced Transparent Reflections
This setting adds reflections to transparent surfaces, such as glass and mirrors.
Ray Traced Indirect Diffuse Lighting
This setting enhances ambient occlusion. For better performance, turn off SSAO when using this option.
Ray Traced Contact Shadows
This setting adds RT Shadows for improved shadow quality. Set both Shadow Resolution and Shadow Filtering to Medium when using this option.
Ray Trace Debris
This setting accounts for flying debris in ray tracing. It’s recommended to turn it off, as it has little impact during combat and can improve performance.
Ray Tracing Increase Samples Count
This setting improves the sample count for Ray Tracing. Turn it on only if you have extra performance to spare.
GPU dependent
The previously mentioned mod introduces theRay Tracing Increase Samples Countfeature, which significantly improves RT reflections by boosting the sample count. This enhancement provides more realistic reflections that don’t look shimmery and grainy, elevating the overall visual quality. However, enabling this feature comes with a major performance cost. It’s recommended only to activate it if your system has sufficient performance headroom.
