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Control Resonant continues the supernatural story of Jesse and Dylan Faden, shifting the playable lead to Dylan as a strange force spreads beyond the Oldest House and into Manhattan. The sequel builds on the world of Control while introducing a new setting, a shape-shifting weapon, and action-RPG progression. Here is what has been revealed about its story and gameplay so far.
Control Resonant: Story and setting
The game was formally revealed at The Game Awards in December. Its first trailer opens inside the Oldest House, the New York headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC). It then shows Manhattan transformed into a distorted landscape of shifting buildings and streets. Images of bodies around the Oldest House suggest that the Bureau is facing a serious crisis.
The trailer also features Jesse Faden and her brother, Dylan. Their story began when they were children: Dylan was taken by a mysterious organization at age 10, while Jesse, then 11, escaped. The events of Control unfold 17 years later, when Jesse finds Dylan in the Oldest House. By then, the Hiss has taken hold of him. Jesse resists the force, becomes the FBC director, and saves Dylan, but he is left in a coma.
Control ends with the Hiss contained within the Oldest House. Control Resonant takes place seven years later. Jesse has disappeared, the lockdown has failed, and the Hiss has spread into Manhattan, warping the city. Dylan wakes from his coma and sets out to save it. The trailer leaves open whether his awakening is a medical recovery or the result of supernatural intervention.
Dylan’s weapon and combat abilities
Dylan’s main weapon is called the Aberrant. Like Jesse’s Service Weapon, it can change form to suit different situations. The reveal footage shows it shifting between dual-wielded melee weapons and a large hammer. The game’s creative director, Mikael Kasurinen, describes the combat as a blend of melee attacks, forward movement, and supernatural abilities.
Practical takeaway: The footage suggests that players should expect to adapt their approach as the weapon changes form. The full range of the Aberrant’s abilities has not yet been detailed, so specific combat options beyond those shown remain unconfirmed.
An open-ended action-RPG, not an open world
Kasurinen describes Control Resonant as open-ended but says it is not an open-world game. The developers have highlighted fast traversal, distorted environments, and mind-bending powers. Manhattan will include secrets and side stories, which Kasurinen says are connected to the wider game rather than included as filler.
The sequel also shifts genre. Where Control is an action-adventure game, Resonant is described as an action-RPG with more substantial progression and meaningful choices. Players can expect different builds intended to support varied play styles, although detailed skill systems and choices have not been announced in the information available so far.
What to keep in mind
- The story follows Dylan after the events of Control, with Jesse’s disappearance and the Hiss outbreak driving the conflict.
- The setting expands beyond the Oldest House to a surreal, altered version of Manhattan.
- Traversal, melee combat, supernatural abilities, and character progression are central elements of the game’s stated direction.
- Specific release details and further gameplay systems are not covered in the reveal information described here.
What Control Resonant could mean for the series
Control Resonant keeps the series’ supernatural setting while changing its central character and broadening its role-playing elements. Dylan’s perspective, the Aberrant’s shifting forms, and a corrupted Manhattan set it apart from Jesse’s first adventure. For players following the story, revisiting Control can help clarify the Faden siblings’ history and the Hiss threat. More details will be needed to understand exactly how the sequel’s choices, builds, and open-ended structure work in practice.
