Control Resonant will blow your mind: September 30-October 6 news and game recs

Hey readers,

We have a lot to cover this week, and I’ll be getting into my thoughts on Control Resonant in this issue. But first, check out (or completely avoid) the new and official Sonic the Hedgehog Discord server. It’s a glorious mess.

(Disclosure: A review copy of this game was provided to Autofill.)

Control Resonant is a single-player action game with elements of RPGs and open-world games, and it’s the sequel to 2019’s Control. Unlike the first game, which was a third-person shooter, Resonant focuses entirely on melee combat.

Following the character Dylan Faden, the brother of Control protagonist Jesse Faden, Control Resonant is a trippy experience that takes you through a version of Manhattan infected by a malevolent force known as the Hiss, with the fictional and bizarre Federal Bureau of Control at the center of it all. It’s a stunning game, with the streets of New York City twisted and distorted by a phenomenon known as the Patterning.

The gameplay is comparable to hack-and-slash games, and you’ll progress your skills and abilities over time. Dylan uses a transforming weapon called the Aberrant, which you can upgrade after gathering the right resources around the city. Dylan also has “paranatural” abilities that provide the player with fun powers like telekinetic pushes and gravity shifting.

Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind Control, the first two Max Payne titles, and the Alan Wake series, developed the game. As with many of the studio’s previous games, works like House of Leaves and David Lynch’s filmography had a very clear influence on Control Resonant.

Control Resonant is on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S, and it costs $60 for the base game—as opposed to the usual $70 that triple-A games usually retail for these days. A $70 deluxe edition is also available, and it comes with in-game goodies, the soundtrack, and a digital artbook.

Ideally, you should have played the original Control, but Resonant includes a recap of that game if you’d rather start with the sequel (which is a valid scenario!). The Control games are in the same universe as Alan Wake, and while there are references to Alan Wake 2 in Control Resonant, it isn’t required reading (or playing, I suppose).

There aren’t really a lot of points of comparison to Control Resonant outside of, well, Control. Though it swaps firefights for physical action, Control Resonant is designed very similarly. Both games promote an aggressive playstyle, and both provide a lot of options for making your own combat build (weapon forms, abilities, skill tree upgrades, etc.).

Exploration is also similar in both games—even though Control took place within the confines of one building (almost in metroidvania fashion) while the sequel takes you outside into the surreal, Doctor Strange-esque version of Manhattan. Resonant isn’t a typical open-world game like The Witcher 3 or Skyrim. The map is open enough with plenty of main and side missions, giving you some choices for where to go. But the paths are narrow and limited, only opening up when you eventually find shortcuts or unlock new traversal abilities (again, very metroidvania or Zelda-like).

Combat is somewhat reminiscent of “character action games” like Devil May Cry or Bayonetta, but Control Resonant is slower and heavier. The focus is less on style or combo multipliers and more on survival and brutality. Like modern Doom games, Control Resonant always has you moving during combat, executing enemies when they’re staggered and picking up health upon their death to stay alive.

With Dylan’s paranatural abilities, there are also hints of games like Infamous and Prototype. But all in all, Remedy takes these concepts and delivers them in a way that only Remedy does.

I’ve lost track of how many times I said some variation of “Wow, that’s so cool” (usually punctuated with swear words) while playing Control Resonant. As a fan of Remedy’s shared universe, Resonant was already a must-play for me. But after coming off of the Resident Evil-like gameplay structure of Alan Wake 2, Control Resonant required a massive adjustment on my part.

As I discussed, Control Resonant reminded me in part of other action games, but Remedy’s spin on these gameplay elements made them feel different enough to experience this almost uncanny valley-like phenomenon. It didn’t take me long to figure out that I needed to stop approaching combat like it was a Bayonetta or Ninja Gaiden game and really meet Control Resonant where it was at.

The same applied to my approach to exploring this version of New York—this isn’t Marvel’s Spider-Man or Grand Theft Auto, but Control’s own take on an open-world city. Traversing through the twisted streets—which in itself is a stunning sight—required deliberate decisions with my movement abilities (e.g., double jumps, dashes, and more that you unlock later). The path forward isn’t clearly labeled like in other games, and I felt the need to strategize and try various methods to get where I wanted.

Regarding the combat itself, hitting enemies with the Aberrant feels heavy, but not mushy. Many attacks will get you airborne, but fighting doesn’t feel floaty. The first Control deliberately lacked a cover system to keep the player moving, and similarly, Resonant eschews any sort of block or parry mechanic. Instead, you’ll have to stay mobile and actively dodge attacks to create your opening. It might take time to get used to the rhythm of battle in Resonant, but by the time you’re executing horrific monstrosities (my favorite being a floating, demonic bus), you’ll feel that dopamine rush that other action games provide.

As with most of Remedy’s games, the world-building is absolutely compelling. The first Control might be one of the few games where I actually read collectible notes and journal entries; it’s fun to learn about the absurdity of this universe through the perspective of both ordinary joes and seemingly soulless government bureaucrats. The same applies to all of the supplemental lore in Resonant.

Visually, Control Resonant is a stunner. There were so many unique and kaleidoscopic sights where I stopped and took in the image. There’s no photo mode available at launch, and that’s a damn shame, because this game is a beaut. The sound design is also excellent, and I get a kick every time the omniscient Board speaks with its warped and booming voice(?). And like Control and both Alan Wake games, there are key sequences where music was at the center, though some examples from Resonant take a more muted approach.

I’m personally not a big fan of the map—even after unlocking map data (in a very Breath of the Wild or Far Cry fashion), the map is still vague enough that it’s difficult to discern obstructions or points of interest. I get that this vagueness is deliberate, but when many of the streets look so similar, a more detailed map would have helped me find my way more efficiently.

And as much as I enjoyed the combat rhythm of Control Resonant, there were some story-required fights with hordes of enemies that stretched out for way too long. Instead of adding any twists to the fight, Resonant would just throw quantities of Hiss and Mold monsters at me, making for some very tedious encounters.

I also think that making Dylan the protagonist made him a less interesting character, compared to his supporting role in the first Control. He seems a little too willing to do the FBC’s dirty work, even with his goal of redemption, and that shows in some very flat dialogue between him and his handler, Zoe. I did warm up to his characterization later in the story, which delved deeper into his familial trauma.

I’ll say straight up that Control Resonant isn’t for everyone, but any fan of surrealism and “new weird” horror should check this out. Anyone who also loves getting into weird lore should also get a ton of appreciation out of this game too.

It’s also a must-play if you’re looking to get into the Game of the Year conversation in a couple of months—there’s certainly no shortage of stuff to talk about when it comes to Control Resonant.

That’s it for this week. Happy spooky season!

Keep Calm and Take Control,
Chris Compendio