Control Resonant Moves Remedy's Supernatural Series Into an Open-World Manhattan

Resonant is a sequel to 2019's Control, though the two games are designed to be played in any order. The first game followed Jesse Faden, the new director of the Federal Bureau of Control, as she fought the paranormal force known as the Hiss inside the agency's labyrinthine headquarters. In the sequel, Dylan takes the lead as the Hiss and other interdimensional threats overrun Manhattan.

The change of setting is the largest structural shift. Where the original was confined to a single building, Resonant unfolds across a relatively large open world in which buildings bend and twist and gravity does not always behave as expected. Combat has also changed: the first Control was mostly a shooter, while Resonant is melee-focused, with Dylan wielding a shapeshifting weapon that can take the form of a whip or a hammer.

Dylan has two main objectives: eliminating the forces invading New York and finding Jesse, who has been missing since the events of the first game. Progress comes through missions, boss fights and exploration. The Verge reported that the opening hours feel like a conventional open-world action game, and that Resonant only reveals its distinct character once its ability gating opens up, a Metroid-style structure in which access is limited until the right power is acquired.

Those abilities include temporary flight, an air dash, a double jump, the capacity to walk on walls and ceilings, and eventually warping to distant ledges. Combined, they allow Dylan to move through New York at speed, and they are used in platforming and puzzle sequences that test spatial reasoning.

Storytelling follows the pattern Remedy has established. The main campaign plays out through cutscenes and radio exchanges between Dylan and his FBC handler, Zoe, and is supported by a large volume of supplementary material, including field recordings, documents and instructional videos. Side quests extend the same approach; The Verge described one mission built around hailing a ghost taxi, in the manner of The Exit 8, and another in which the player calms a talking light bulb. The narrative involves alternate dimensions, impossible physics, multiple timelines and a supernatural mold.

Visually, the game keeps the harsh industrial tone of its predecessor, with audio and visual effects built around it. The Verge compared some platforming sections to interactive art exhibitions and noted a portion of the map that resembles the work of M.C. Escher set against New York's golden hour. The publication placed the series' science-fiction setting alongside Severance, the SCP Foundation, the Southern Reach books, Backrooms and Twin Peaks, and described the game's mix of meta storytelling and inventive platforming as reminiscent of House of Leaves and Super Mario Galaxy.