Control Resonant is set to drag the Remedyverse away from the horror of Alan Wake 2, aiming to deliver a sequel that reframes the franchise's core elements. Based on a playable preview build, the game appears poised to succeed despite significant departures from its predecessor.
A New Combat Focus
The game introduces Dylan Faden as its new protagonist, who initially struggles with his supernatural abilities. However, through practice with the Aberrant, his shapeshifting melee weapon, Dylan evolves into a faster and more aggressive fighter. Combat in Resonant blends the aerial combos and particle effects of games like Devil May Cry with the fluid transitions found in the Batman Arkham series, but with an accelerated pace. This creates intense encounters focused on lengthy combos and evasive maneuvers.
Dylan's powers, including ground slams, energy bursts, and shields, are designed to be as integral to combat as direct attacks. This design philosophy encourages a proactive approach, urging players to remain aggressive rather than taking cover. Slaying enemies results in explosions of red smoke and valuable healing orbs. Lead game designer Sergey Mohov stated that Remedy intended to create an experience where players feel like "a supernatural monster hunter, and enemies are afraid of you," contrasting with games where players typically face waves of enemies in an arena.
Warped Enemies and Twisted Reality
Resonant introduces a host of new enemies that deviate from the human-shaped thralls of the original Control. These foes are described as warped, demonic entities with distorted limbs and impossibly folded skin. Bosses and elite enemies present particularly bizarre forms, such as a giant half-face merged with pavement chunks or a flying, laser-shooting abomination resembling a manta ray with a gasmasked soldier's head. The game also features a possessed, half-upturned bus as a formidable opponent.
The game's setting, Manhattan, is also heavily distorted by the extradimensional threat. Mohov explained that the game presents a "movie version of Manhattan," a dreamlike reality influenced by the collective subconscious and iconic portrayals of the city. This version includes familiar elements like phone booths, even though the real New York City removed its last one in 2022. The city's geography is twisted and merged, creating recursive and unsettling patterns. The demo included areas like the Sinkhole, a labyrinth of interconnected rooms that opens into a vast cavern of displaced rental spaces, challenging navigation even for Dylan.
Narrative and Influences
Dylan himself is a compelling character, evolving from a captured Hiss pawn to a more determined protagonist. His interactions with his handler, Zoe, provide a new layer to the narrative. These exchanges, often initiated by Dylan spotting points of interest, are inspired by the dynamic character interactions seen in Firewatch. Mohov confirmed that Remedy looked at Firewatch's Delilah dynamic to inform the relationship between Dylan and Zoe, using it to tell Dylan's story of learning about the real world while Zoe learns about the FBC.
Control Resonant is scheduled for release on September 24th. Early impressions suggest that its shift towards fast-paced, supernatural combat and its unique narrative approach could make it a strong successor to the original Control.