Control Resonant, the follow-up to Remedy Entertainment's 2019 title, places players in the role of Dylan Faden, Jesse's younger brother, as he ventures outside the familiar confines of the Oldest House into a bizarre and dangerous version of New York City. The Hiss has followed, and players will need to contain its paranatural forces while facing off against powerful resonants and altered items. To aid in this endeavor, here are 10 beginner's tips and tricks to help navigate the challenges ahead.
Unlocking the Map
When entering a new area, the map will initially be obscured by fog. An antenna icon will point to a nearby pylon, a structure with three large satellite dishes. Upon reaching the pylon, players must locate and activate three smaller satellite dish sensors within the vicinity. Once all sensors are activated, returning to the pylon will reveal the map of the immediate area. Each satellite dish on the pylon directly indicates the direction of one of the sensors.
Explore for Upgrades and Story
Thorough exploration of each zone is key to discovering valuable upgrades and engaging side quests. Side quests often provide some of the most memorable narrative moments, which can be bizarre, humorous, or unsettling. Additionally, exploring will yield upgrade materials. Crucially, players can find health and power upgrade points, which directly increase Dylan's maximum health and power, enhancing survivability and combat ability.
Overcoming Obstacles
Locked doors are a common sight in Control Resonant, but there's almost always a way to proceed. Doors unlocked from the other side may require finding an alternate entrance, often from the roof, or backtracking to unlock them from the opposite side. Wooden doors can be destroyed with the secondary form of Dylan's weapon. Garage doors require hitting an electrical box with a red light. Doors covered in red goop often signify the presence of larger enemies that must be defeated, or by following red trails to their source. Mold-covered doors can be cleared with fire. Metal doors can be breached using the Crush secondary weapon or the Ground Slam combat ability. Doors requiring a keycard are usually associated with side quests, so progressing through them is essential. FBC Security Clearance keycards are primarily acquired during the main quest, but others may be found in side content.
The Value of Collectibles
The game world is populated with numerous collectibles, offering a wealth of lore and narrative context. Engaging with these documents can significantly increase playtime and immersion, providing deeper insight into the game's universe. They can also offer subtle hints for upcoming puzzles or challenges.
Utilizing the Gap and Vendors
The Gap serves as a central hub for weapon upgrades, artifact crafting, and talent unlocks. As players progress and gather resources like source, materials, reset points, and zone XP, it's crucial to visit the Gap regularly to spend these resources, especially when facing increasingly difficult enemies. Vendors, often found near ice cream trucks, offer a wide array of upgrade and crafting materials. As a zone levels up, vendors will stock more items. Ice cream stands in these areas also provide health point upgrades.
Assist Mode Flexibility
Control Resonant features an Assist Mode that allows players to customize the difficulty. Options include reducing incoming damage, extending the perfect dodge window, and enabling powerful buffs like immortality or one-hit kills. Conversely, players can increase the game's challenge by reducing their damage output or making enemies more aggressive. Importantly, using Assist Mode does not prevent players from earning achievements or trophies.
Prioritizing Targets for Healing
In challenging encounters with waves of enemies, prioritizing smaller foes can be a viable strategy for survival. Defeating lesser enemies often yields health fragments, which can be collected to replenish Dylan's health. This allows players to recover before engaging more formidable opponents.
Unlocking Abilities with Faults and Resonants
Faults and resonants are key to expanding Dylan's capabilities. Faults, often appearing as vertical pathways or translucent orbs, grant traversal abilities, such as wall-walking or enhanced propulsion, opening up new areas. Players can identify nearby faults by spotting visions of Jesse Faden. Resonants, on the other hand, are boss encounters that reward players with new combat abilities upon defeat. While not all resonants must be defeated to complete the game, doing so significantly enhances combat effectiveness and engagement. Defeating a resonant triggers a new cycle, respawning enemies in all zones, making them more difficult but also yielding better resources. It is advisable to complete side activities before engaging a resonant, as a cleared zone offers a less interrupted experience for exploration and challenges.
