Control Resonant takes the series into a darker and more expansive New York

Remedy Entertainment is taking the Control franchise in a striking new direction with Control Resonant, the sequel to its acclaimed 2019 supernatural action game. Moving away from the confined halls of the Federal Bureau of Control’s headquarters, the new title shifts the action to a distorted version of New York City. It introduces a fresh protagonist at its centre.

Set seven years after the original game, Control Resonant follows Dylan Faden, the brother of former protagonist Jesse Faden, as he ventures beyond The Oldest House for the first time. With the supernatural force known as the Hiss spreading across Manhattan and Jesse mysteriously absent, Dylan finds himself navigating a dangerous world transformed by paranormal corruption. Early hands-on impressions suggest the sequel is shaping up to be Remedy’s most ambitious project yet.

Dylan Faden steps into a transformed Manhattan

The story begins in the aftermath of a catastrophic containment failure. The Hiss, previously trapped within The Oldest House, have escaped into Manhattan, leaving large parts of the city twisted beyond recognition. With the Federal Bureau of Control weakened and scattered, Dylan emerges as one of the few individuals capable of confronting the growing threat.

Working alongside surviving agents and guided by the mysterious Board, Dylan embarks on a mission to locate his missing sister while preventing the Hiss from spreading further. Unlike Jesse, who spent much of the original game uncovering secrets within a confined environment, Dylan’s journey places him directly into a hostile, unfamiliar world.

This change in perspective creates a different tone for the sequel. While Jesse’s absence may disappoint some long-time fans, Dylan’s struggle to understand both himself and the world around him offers a compelling narrative foundation. His personal journey focuses not only on survival but also on reclaiming a sense of humanity after years spent isolated within The Oldest House.

The game’s depiction of Manhattan plays a major role in establishing this new direction. Familiar landmarks and streets remain recognisable, but supernatural forces have warped them into strange and unsettling forms. The city appears fragmented into multiple explorable zones, creating an environment that feels both familiar and alien.

Open-world exploration and fast-paced combat redefine the series

One of the most noticeable changes in Control Resonant is its approach to gameplay. The sequel expands beyond the enclosed settings of its predecessor, giving players significantly more freedom to explore. Dylan can move rapidly across the city using enhanced mobility, allowing him to leap, dash, and traverse the distorted landscape with ease.

According to Remedy’s developers, the goal was to create a version of Manhattan that feels recognisable while still reflecting the studio’s signature style of surreal storytelling. The result is a city that blends everyday urban environments with bizarre supernatural distortions.

Combat has also undergone a substantial transformation. While the original Control focused heavily on firearms and telekinetic powers, Control Resonant places a much greater emphasis on melee combat. Encounters are larger, faster and more chaotic, drawing inspiration from action titles known for their fluid combat systems.

At the centre of this new combat design is the Aberrant, a supernatural Object of Power wielded by Dylan. The weapon can transform into several different forms, including twin blades, gauntlets, a scythe and a massive hammer. Players can customise how these forms are used during combat, creating unique combinations and attack chains.

This flexibility allows for a highly personalised fighting style. As Dylan unlocks new abilities and upgrades, combat becomes increasingly dynamic, encouraging players to experiment with different weapon combinations and special attacks. The result is a much more aggressive, mobile combat experience than in previous entries in the series.

RPG systems deepen the experience while preserving Control’s surreal identity

Beyond combat, Control Resonant introduces a stronger role-playing focus. Players can invest in multiple skill trees, unlock passive bonuses, and apply status effects that alter enemies’ behaviour during battle. These systems add a new layer of strategy and character progression to the gameplay.

Although the expanded mechanics may initially appear overwhelming, they become more rewarding as additional abilities are unlocked. In one section, The Sinkhole, players explore a corrupted underground region beneath Manhattan filled with powerful enemies and elite monsters. These encounters showcase how the game’s progression systems interact with its combat mechanics, rewarding careful ability use and tactical decision-making.

Despite the increased emphasis on action, Remedy has not abandoned the surreal storytelling that helped define the original game. Some of the most memorable moments occur during narrative-driven sequences in which reality bends in unexpected ways. These sections continue the studio’s tradition of presenting strange and visually striking environments that challenge players’ perceptions.

One particularly notable sequence sees Dylan escape through an underground apartment complex that gradually transforms into an endless maze. The setting evokes the unsettling atmosphere often associated with the internet phenomenon known as the Backrooms, creating a sense of unease and disorientation that fits perfectly within the Control universe.

Early impressions suggest that Control Resonant remains committed to the series’ distinctive blend of supernatural mystery and psychological storytelling, even as it embraces larger environments and more action-focused gameplay. While some fans may prefer the slower pace and tighter focus of the original game, the sequel appears determined to expand the franchise in bold new ways.

With its transformed New York setting, deeper RPG mechanics and new protagonist, Control Resonant is shaping up to be one of Remedy Entertainment’s most ambitious releases. The game represents a significant evolution for the series while maintaining the strange and unsettling atmosphere that has become one of its defining characteristics.