Seven years after Jesse Faden contained the Hiss within the Federal Bureau of Control's headquarters, the Oldest House, a new paranatural threat has emerged. This time, the distorted reality of Manhattan is at risk as the Hiss escapes its confinement. With Jesse mysteriously absent, her brother Dylan Faden, formerly a captive within the Oldest House, steps up to lead the FBC. Dylan, despite his past as a victim, proves to be a likable and sympathetic protagonist, his earnestness a stark contrast to the immense power he wields. His dynamic with FBC handler Zoe De Veras provides levity and depth to the unfolding crisis.
Returning characters like scientist Emily Pope and altered item supervisor Frederick Langston also contribute to the narrative, with players eager to uncover details about the seven-year lockdown and Jesse's fate. The story is bolstered by surprising revelations and unexpected twists, while a variety of engaging sidequests explore the premise of ordinary citizens encountering the paranormal. Missions such as harmonizing with a malevolent karaoke machine or solving "spot the difference" puzzles to escape a taxi-filled dimension offer unique gameplay experiences.
While exploring Manhattan's open hubs for longer mission strings, such as investigating secret organizations or completing abandoned FBC experiments, is rewarding, the game also features repetitive tasks like escorting rangers or defending assets against waves of enemies. These filler missions, though ignorable with little consequence, detract from the well-crafted main quests.
Control Resonant's combat is a demanding character-action affair. Dylan wields the Aberrant, a transforming melee weapon capable of shifting between an axe, dual swords, and a scythe, complemented by less effective sidearms. Perfect dodges are a standout mechanic, allowing for satisfying chained attacks. The combat system evolves as players unlock new supernatural abilities, including explosive fire attacks, mold spore projectiles, and summoning allies, which add strategic depth to the encounters. However, the game's challenging difficulty and enemy scaling can lead to protracted battles of attrition, particularly when players must defeat larger enemies while smaller foes continuously respawn.
Boss battles against the distorted humans known as Resonants provide more evenly balanced challenges. The introduction of enemy types beyond the Hiss, such as mold monsters and another unrevealed faction, helps diversify combat, though encounters can still become repetitive due to recurring enemy bands roaming Manhattan.
Despite its open-world design, Control Resonant's structure echoes the first game, requiring players to acquire abilities and keys to access new areas. Navigation is enhanced by abilities like warping to rooftops and hovering, making traversal enjoyable. The game's surrealist visual style transforms Manhattan into a striking, mind-bending landscape, though some of the more visually complex areas can be disorienting.
Despite its frustrations, Control Resonant's narrative and world-building consistently pull players back in. The game offers a compelling blend of action, story, and presentation, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of its predecessor's unique universe. Remedy has largely succeeded in its stylish action endeavors, with the engaging lore and mystery resonating most effectively.