with the current rules, do you make a control check first before paying for any costs of the ability on an action card? Also, if you fail the check, do you still have to pay any costs of the ability? Like if I fail the control check for tag along, do i still need to remove it from the game if im trying to negate my opponent's character ability

yes if you fail the check you must still pay the costs. so with tag along you must still remove from game.

what is the order of playing an action card? pay the cost printed on the card then the control check or the other way around?

maida said:

What does the AGR Say? (Sorry, I'm not on a computer where I have it downloaded so I can't copy and paste the answer for you.)

2.9.1.6 When playing an action card (See 8.1 Playing a Card from Hand) as a Form (F), a player must make the control check (See 2.11 Control Checks) before paying the costs to play that card. (See 2.12 Costs.)

2.9.2.7 When playing an action card (See 8.1 Playing a Card from Hand) as an Enhance (E), a player must make the control check (See 2.11 Control Checks) before paying the costs to play that card. (See 2.12 Costs.)

2.9.3.6 When playing an action card (See 8.1 Playing a Card from Hand) as a Response ®, a player must make the control check (See 2.11 Control Checks) before paying the costs to play that card. (See 2.12 Costs.)

ROTBI said:

It looks like the AGR says that a player must make the check before paying the costs of the action card.