adminControl Resonant takes Remedy’s supernatural series in a new direction, trading the first game’s enclosed setting and shooter-focused action for an open-ended Manhattan and melee combat. Critics have generally welcomed the risk, with reviews highlighting the sequel’s distinctive world and character-driven storytelling while also pointing to uneven boss fights and pacing. Its early Metacritic score is 84.
Image credit: Remedy Entertainment
Control Resonant: a bold change of direction
Set seven years after the release of Control, the sequel follows Dylan Faden, younger brother of Jesse Faden, who has disappeared. Players explore a paranatural version of Manhattan, where an otherworldly force distorts the city and its geometry.
Creative director Mikael Kasurinen had envisioned the first two games as stories centered on the Faden siblings. Resonant follows through on that idea while moving away from Remedy’s familiar third-person shooter approach. The result is a notably different experience for a studio with three decades of experience in the genre.
Rock Paper Shotgun’s James Archer praised the game’s character-first storytelling, atmospheric setting, and action, describing the studio’s creative risk as a success. Kotaku’s Cole Kronman also found the game ambitious and consistently engaging, especially in the way its design makes the story feel closely connected to play.
Practical note: Players who enjoyed Control mainly for its tight, contained setting should know that Resonant’s larger structure changes the pace and feel of exploration.
Combat and Dylan’s abilities
Combat centers on Dylan’s preference for close-range fighting and the Aberrant, a weapon that can transform into different forms. His movement abilities also play a role both during encounters and while exploring, linking traversal to the action.
IGN’s Michael Higham gave the game an 8 out of 10. He considered the combat uneven in places, but said it had a solid foundation and delivered satisfying moments. He also viewed fights as a way to develop Dylan and move players through the game’s inventive environments. Kronman at Kotaku similarly praised the connection between movement in combat and movement through the world: learning one helps players improve at the other.
Eurogamer’s Alexis Ong was less impressed, criticizing Dylan’s traversal and drawing attention to how his abilities shape both action and movement. Her review also argued that combat was not the strongest part of the original Control and remains a relative weakness here.
Tip: Experiment with Dylan’s movement as well as the Aberrant’s forms. The game uses mobility outside combat, so practicing those abilities during exploration can also help in fights.
Open-ended Manhattan
Control kept its story largely within the Oldest House, a shifting government building full of strange rooms and thresholds. Resonant instead divides its distorted Manhattan into zones. The city folds in on itself under the influence of an otherworldly entity, giving familiar streets an unsettling, supernatural character.
Rather than relying on a map covered in conventional markers, the game encourages players to explore and pay attention to the environment. Archer praised the zone-based progression system, in which defeating enemies and completing side quests helps areas level up and provides rewards. He felt this made exploration and progression feel connected.
Higham also valued the way the Oldest House’s visual style carries into the city. He noted that environmental clues help guide players, even without a highly detailed map. Kronman described The Pattern, the force reshaping Manhattan, as a striking visual and technical achievement, while Ong felt that leaving the Oldest House reduced some of the original game’s distinctive atmosphere. She also cautioned that repeated city blocks and military barricades can lose their impact over time.
What to expect: Manhattan’s unusual layout rewards observation. Look for changes in the environment and follow visual cues rather than relying only on map markers.
Boss battles and difficulty
Bosses are among the most divided parts of the critical response. Reviewers recognized their memorable visual designs, but some criticized the encounters’ pacing and challenge. Higham found that several fights relied on large health bars and repeated attack patterns, making them feel more like endurance tests than examinations of player skill.
Archer also saw the bosses as evidence that Remedy is still developing its approach to character-action combat. In his view, some duels were enjoyable, while others felt too simple despite their imposing appearance. He added that the possibility of earning combat abilities that can change a build gave players a worthwhile reason to take them on.
Practical note: Boss encounters may require patience as well as careful observation. Learning attack patterns can help, but some fights may still feel prolonged.
Story, characters, and pacing
Returning players will recognize Dylan as the former host of the hostile Hiss entity. The sequel also provides context for newcomers, explaining his history and how he relates to the altered world around him. Higham said the story revisits and clarifies material that was previously implied or presented through collectible documents, while noting that a few plot developments depend on quick logical leaps.
Ong found that the open-world structure sometimes interrupted the main story’s momentum, particularly when smaller tasks followed major revelations. Kronman described the dialogue as inconsistent at times, but still considered the overall narrative thoughtful and effective.
Because the story includes both major plot developments and optional activities, players who want to maintain its momentum may prefer to focus on main objectives before spending longer stretches on side content.
Overall critical consensus on Control Resonant
Critics broadly approved of Remedy’s decision to move beyond the original game’s formula. Higham highlighted the sequel’s world design and character moments, while Kronman welcomed its willingness to surprise players. Ong was more cautious, arguing that the broader structure sometimes diluted the uncanny atmosphere that made Control distinctive.
Across reviews, the strongest praise is for Resonant’s unusual Manhattan, creative environmental design, and focus on Dylan and Jesse Faden. The most common reservations concern boss fights, combat consistency, and story pacing. For players considering Control Resonant, the critical picture is of an ambitious sequel that succeeds most when its world and characters take center stage, even if some of its action systems do not reach the same heights.
