Seven years after the launch of Control, Remedy Entertainment invites players back to a supernatural version of Manhattan in its follow‑up, Control Resonant. The studio describes the new entry as "not a safe sequel," a warning that many attribute to the shift in protagonist.
Players now assume the role of Dylan Faden, the younger brother of Control’s heroine Jesse Faden, who has vanished under mysterious circumstances. Mikael Kasurinen, the creative director behind the franchise, originally imagined that the first two games would each focus on a different Faden sibling. Resonant departs dramatically from Remedy’s long‑standing third‑person shooter template by centering combat around melee attacks and presenting an open‑ended urban playground rather than the confined, ever‑shifting corridors of the Oldest House. This represents a bold experiment for a developer with three decades of experience in a proven genre, yet early reviews suggest the gamble has paid off.
The game currently holds an 84 on Metacritic, and critics are quick to highlight both its strengths and its shortcomings. James Archer of Rock Paper Shotgun summed up the general sentiment, writing that Remedy’s "gamble pays off spectacularly." He praised the game’s "reality‑bending trip across a kaleidoscopic Manhattan" for delivering the same stark visual flair, unsettling atmosphere, and inventive quest design that made the Oldest House feel alive.
Archer also noted that the story remains character‑driven, and that the action sequences showcase Remedy’s best work in years. Kotaku’s Cole Kronman echoed similar enthusiasm, calling Resonant "the most demanding, most video‑game‑per‑square‑inch Remedy has ever produced." He acknowledged imperfections but emphasized that the title remains "relentlessly, characteristically interesting." Kronman argued that while Remedy isn’t reinventing the wheel, the game stands out among blockbuster releases whose narratives range from weak to nonexistent. He praised the narrative for being built from the ground up with playability in mind, reflecting a design philosophy that prioritizes what video games can uniquely offer.
Combat in Resonant revolves around Dylan’s proficiency with melee weapons and the Aberrant, a mutable armament that can shift into several forms. Michael Higham of IGN gave the game an 8/10, noting that while the combat system feels "undercooked in spots," it does not undermine the overall experience. He described Remedy’s first foray into this style of action as fundamentally sound, delivering moments of genuine satisfaction that rival those found in genre classics. Higham also observed that the fights serve as a vehicle for character development, funneling the player through one of the most inventive open worlds seen in recent years.
Eurogamer’s Alexis Ong offered a more mixed perspective, awarding the game three out of five stars. She criticized Dylan’s traversal abilities, likening them to a cartoonish version of Spider‑Man that feels out of place in the game’s darker tone. Ong argued that Control originally excelled because it understood its influences and, importantly, its limitations—its combat was never the main draw. In Resonant, however, the combat systems remain mediocre, and the shift to an open world sometimes dilutes the unique weirdness that defined the first title.
Nevertheless, Kronman found a "gratifying synergy" between movement and combat, suggesting that mastering one aspect naturally aids the other. This integration mirrors the way the original Control confined its story within the ever‑shifting Oldest House, a space filled with impossible geometry and hidden dimensions. In Resonant, the city itself becomes the canvas, warped by an otherworldly entity that causes Manhattan to fold back on itself. Rather than a seamless open world, the city is divided into distinct zones that level up as players defeat enemies and complete side quests.
Archer praised this system, calling it a "peculiar mechanism that works." By tying experience gain to time spent in each area, the game encourages organic exploration, creating a loop reminiscent of Elden Ring’s reward‑boss‑reward cycle. This structure adds a tangible rhythm to the otherwise sprawling map.
IGN’s Higham also highlighted the design language that carries over from the Oldest House into the streets of Manhattan, giving the city a personality that feels unmistakably Control. The environment subtly guides players without relying on excessive waypoints, allowing the world itself to act as a navigational tool. Higham marveled at the way the various planes intersect and diverge, calling the design "genius" and acknowledging the massive technical challenge involved. Kronman described the phenomenon known as "The Pattern"—the force that distorts Manhattan’s geometry—as both a visual and technical marvel.
He argued that Remedy treats its games as interactive art installations, blurring the line between 3D art and level geometry. According to him, no other studio currently offers an experience that looks or plays quite like this, underscoring Remedy’s deep understanding of the medium.
Eurogamer, however, lamented the loss of the Oldest House’s moody, Brutalist atmosphere. Ong wrote that the repeated city blocks and military barricades lack the inherent strangeness of the original setting, and that Resonant leans too heavily on quirky New York aesthetics to compensate for narrative depth. She felt the game’s "oh‑shit‑cool" moments never quite match the iconic vibes that made Control memorable. Boss encounters generated the most divided opinions.
Higham praised the visual design of the bosses but criticized many of the fights as "spongy slogs" that prioritize grinding over skill testing. He noted that once a boss’s limited set of tricks is learned, the battle devolves into a repetitive health‑bar drain. Archer echoed this sentiment, labeling some encounters as evidence of Remedy’s inexperience with character‑centric action, though he conceded that the most memorable duels were strikingly creative and rewarded players with meaningful power upgrades.
Narratively, Resonant centers on the sibling bond between Jesse and Dylan. Returning players will recognize Dylan as the vessel previously possessed by the antagonistic Hiss, while newcomers receive sufficient exposition to grasp his backstory and the world’s reaction to his presence. Higham observed that the game functions both as a sequel and a prequel, tying up loose ends left in Control’s collectible lore, though he felt the main plot relies on a few convenient logical leaps.
Ong pointed out pacing issues stemming from the open‑world structure, noting that side quests sometimes interrupt the flow of major story beats, leading to a sense of narrative sprawl. Dialogue, according to Kronman, is hit‑or‑miss, occasionally slipping into overly clever banter that feels more like modern TV tropes than genuine character development.
Still, he deemed these flaws forgivable within an overall thoughtful and effective story. In summary, critics generally applaud Remedy’s willingness to experiment beyond its established formula.
IGN’s Higham called Resonant "one of Remedy’s most conventional stories, yet bold in execution," highlighting the game’s strong world‑building, compelling twists, and character moments that rise above the paranormal backdrop. Eurogamer warned that the title sometimes feels like a live‑service experiment, struggling to sustain the uncanny weirdness that defined its predecessor.
Kronman, however, concluded that the game exceeded his expectations, leaving him eager for the next unpredictable chapter in the Control saga.