"A thrilling melee pivot in Remedy's surreal world"
About
CONTROL Resonant puts players in the role of Dylan Faden, brother of the previous game's protagonist, now imbued with his own supernatural abilities. A cosmic threat called the Resonance has warped Manhattan, turning it into a surreal, open-world battleground. The game shifts the series' focus towards melee-centric, hack-and-slash combat as Dylan fights reality-bending enemies to save what's left of the city.
Verdict
Control Resonant is a confident, aggressive evolution, swapping the original's gunplay for a fluid melee system that feels spectacular in motion. Remedy's world-building remains second to none, with a surreal Manhattan serving as a stunning backdrop for another paranatural mystery. While the narrative doesn't always escape predictability, its atmosphere and style are undeniable. The launch is marred by technical issues for some, from audio bugs to memory leaks, but these are blemishes on what is otherwise a brilliantly executed and well-optimized action game.
You'll like it if …
- +You enjoy fast-paced, hack-and-slash combat reminiscent of Devil May Cry.
- +You're already invested in Remedy's connected universe of Control and Alan Wake.
- +Stunning art direction is more important to you than a flawless plot.
You'll dislike it if …
- −You prefer the slower, more tactical gunplay of the original Control.
- −Repetitive open-world activities and resource grinding frustrate you.
- −Technical issues like memory leaks or audio bugs are deal-breakers.
Breakdown
- +The new melee-focused combat is fluid and responsive, with a satisfying flow to movement and attacks.
- +Enemies feel impactful to fight without being damage sponges.
- +The core loop is snappy and provides excellent audiovisual feedback.
- −For a portion of players, the combat system becomes repetitive over time.
- −Difficulty balancing is inconsistent, with jarring boss-fight spikes and an Assist Mode that can make the game trivial.
- +Creative, Escher-inspired level design encourages and rewards exploration.
- +The game's systems evolve throughout the campaign, respecting the player's intelligence.
- +A worthwhile New Game Plus mode adds meaningful replay value.
- −The move to an open-world structure introduces some tedious resource grinding.
- −Some may prefer the tighter, more focused design of the first game over this more sprawling take.
- +Continues the complex, lore-rich storytelling style of the Remedy Connected Universe.
- +World-building is exceptional, consistently expanding the established fiction in compelling ways.
- +Includes story recaps to onboard players who are new to the series.
- −The central plot twist can feel predictable.
- −Some character dialogue comes across as cheesy or trying too hard.
- +Visually stunning, with a unique art direction that stands out.
- +Sound design is punchy and effective, providing excellent feedback during combat.
- +Ray tracing is implemented well, enhancing the surreal atmosphere without a crippling performance cost.
- −Significant audio bugs, like desync and stuttering, can break immersion for some players.
- −Visual glitches, such as texture pop-in, occasionally occur.
- +Launches with impressive optimization, holding stable frame rates on a wide range of hardware.
- +For many, the technical experience is smooth and polished from the start.
- −A memory leak can cause severe performance degradation during longer play sessions.
- −Some players experience frequent crashes or unusually long load times.
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