In the prologue of Control Resonant, players are faced with their first significant decision: choosing a primary weapon form, a secondary weapon form, and a combat ability. While the game allows for resets later on, an informed initial choice can smooth the early hours of gameplay. Reset items, made more accessible by a day-one patch, enable players to reallocate weapons, abilities, and talents, encouraging experimentation with different builds.
Best Primary Weapon
The first choice is the primary weapon, with three distinct options available:
- Cleave: This axe-shaped weapon excels at controlling enemies, particularly by lifting them into the air for a temporary stun. As it's upgraded, it deals increased damage to airborne targets and quickly fills the enemy 'falter meter'. Cleave is designed for players who prefer to neutralize threats before they can retaliate.
- Strike: A pair of dual swords, Strike focuses on critical hits and rewards players who master dodging. While its base damage is the lowest, it attacks the fastest, allowing for quicker combo finishers. Strike also enhances combo finishers and combat abilities, making it ideal for builds that emphasize these mechanics.
- Glaive: This scythe offers wide-ranging attacks, making it effective against groups of enemies. It boasts the highest base damage among the initial choices, proving strong at lower levels. Glaive's key strength is its ability to generate 'power' rapidly, enabling frequent use of combat abilities. Players looking to replicate the projectile-throwing combat of the original Control will find Glaive suitable.
Each weapon caters to a different playstyle. Strike is recommended for its versatility, as its critical hits make it a strong primary while also bolstering combo finishers and combat abilities for a more potent overall build, despite its shorter range and vulnerability when swarmed.
Best Secondary Weapon Form
The second initial choice is the secondary weapon form:
- Crush: A powerful hammer that slams enemies into the ground, delivering high damage and falter. Crush also has utility, capable of breaking armor and opening sealed doors. It's a satisfying choice for players who enjoy stunning opponents.
- Extend: A long-range whip that can hit multiple enemies in a cone. Charged attacks increase falter and damage, making it effective against groups. Extend can compensate for a primary weapon's lack of area-of-effect capabilities.
- Drill: This weapon can weaken enemies, causing them to take more damage from combat abilities. While its immediate impact might be less pronounced than other options, the weakening effect becomes highly valuable against tougher bosses and when utilizing multiple combat abilities later in the game.
For secondary weapons, utility is often more beneficial than raw damage, as they tend to support rather than lead the player's offense. Crush and Drill are recommended for their unique utility benefits.
Best Combat Ability
Following the initial combat encounter, players must select their first combat ability:
- Barrage: This ability allows players to launch projectiles at enemies, either in a single burst or individually. It has a low power cost and deals decent damage, making it a good option for frequent ability usage.
- Volatile Anomaly: Players can summon an orb that fires projectiles, or they can throw the orb itself for significant damage. The orb's projectiles are particularly effective at building falter on smaller enemies, allowing for executions that maintain the 'Dominance' buff, which increases melee damage. Volatile Anomaly is the only ability that allows players to continue attacking simultaneously.
- Shield: This ability creates a protective barrier that absorbs damage based on the player's power meter. Dodging into enemies while Shield is active deals damage, offering a defensive option for players who struggle with evasion.
Volatile Anomaly is the recommended choice due to its effectiveness in building falter and maintaining the Dominance buff, which is crucial for engaging multiple challenging enemies. It also helps manage smaller threats by faltering them for quick executions, providing damage boosts and some health regeneration.
