The Federal Bureau of Control has enough to worry about when the supernatural threat facing them is a familiar element. What happens when the next menace confronting reality is completely foreign? The answer is nothing good. What happens when that mysterious entity and the aforementioned familiar threat are both wreaking havoc simultaneously? That’s significantly worse. That’s also the story of Control Resonant, something I recently got to take a first look at, thanks to the team at Remedy Entertainment.
Revealed at The Game Awards 2025, Control Resonant follows Dylan Faden. He was originally kept under confinement by the FBC partly because of his unknown supernatural abilities. However, things have gotten bad in Manhattan. A mysterious force, which the FBC is calling The Pattern (the bureau members haven’t fully settled on a name for it) has totally engulfed Manhattan, blocking every route off the island. Until they know how to ward off the threat or even get a handle on what they’re dealing with, the FBC has focused on quarantining survivors. If that was the end of it, that would be enough of a problem, but the threat has escalated further after The Hiss (the primary antagonistic force of the original Control) has seeped into Manhattan. With both this mysterious Pattern and the dangerous Hiss threatening Manhattan, the FBC has released Dylan from his confinement in hopes of using his abilities to save the island and, potentially, the entire world.
Source: Remedy Entertainment
Dylan will be guided (and also monitored) by his handler, FBC agent Zoe De Vera. Players will frequently check in with Zoe for updates on the world, potential threats, and for a sense of direction. As Dylan’s handler, Zoe will also act as his emotional anchor and help keep him and his powers grounded. She’ll also occasionally remind Dylan that there’s incentive for him to help the FBC, which kept him locked up for so long. His sister, original Control protagonist Jesse Faden, has gone missing and could be out there somewhere in the Pattern. Dylan will often run into different characters, including a handful of returning ones from the first Control, which will demonstrate Remedy’s new on-the-move dialogue system that allows players to hold a conversation and interact with other NPCs while exploring the surrounding area.
Exploring Manhattan will not be easy, because the rules of reality have started to change. The world within the Pattern may be prone to shifting architecture, unstable gravity, and other environmental changes that are beyond comprehension. Dylan can use some of his abilities to get around, as well as unlock new ones later in the game to travel to new areas. Reach and Shift are two examples of new powers that can help Dylan get around certain reality-bending obstacles.
Dylan will operate out of the FBC Field Office, set up in the heart of Manhattan. The Field Office will grow over time with increased resources and additional FBC agents. It’ll also be where Dylan can customize his look. Players will then decide which area of Manhattan to explore. The FBC has managed to use temporary firebreaks to keep Manhattan’s zones separated to prevent cross-contamination. That also conveniently offers players distinct biomes to explore across the island. Remedy has worked to improve the map layout from the original game, more clearly illustrating points-of-interest and showing a more concise picture of where the player is currently located.
Source: Remedy Entertainment
Control Resonant’s gameplay will differ drastically from the original game, going from a third-person shooter to an action-RPG. Dylan can dash across the ground, take to the air, perform melee combos and executions, and do all of it against multiple foes at a time. There were no firearms to be found in Remedy’s demonstration, as Dylan instead relied on moves like a bludgeoning uppercut or a makeshift shield bash. Melee strikes will restore Dylan’s ability resources while executions will increase his melee damage temporarily. The player’s attack arsenal and its strength level are determined by how they opt to upgrade Dylan as the game moves forward.
The game’s upgrade system takes on a full Control-like aesthetic, as hitting down on the D-pad outside of combat will cause Dylan to pass out and wake up in a dream state known as The Gap. The Gap is where players will guide Dylan directly to three different forms of upgrades: combat abilities, weapon upgrades, and talents. Combat abilities are found by defeating the titular Resonants, which are massive boss creatures with unique paranormal skills. Whatever Dylan decides to take from a Resonant will affect his playstyle, so it’s something that players will need to think over before proceeding. As Dylan collects resources, he’ll be able to strengthen his melee weapon, known as the Aberrant, with combo extenders and attack buffs. Talents are found on a traditional skill tree and can be used to craft a synergized character build. One thing that Remedy made sure to note is that not every talent can be unlocked in a single playthrough.
One last thing worth noting is that players can opt to play through Dylan’s story campaign straight through, but Remedy is also aiming to include numerous side stories of varying lengths. The world quests are said to contain lore that further expands the story of the Federal Bureau of Control. With Manhattan structured as a zone-based environment rather than an open world, players may have to dig around to find secrets and side missions.
As I noted when Control Resonant was first revealed, this game is a significant gamble for Remedy. The original Control was a beloved shooter filled with intriguing lore and Resonant will totally forego its combat system for something entirely new. Whether this change is for the better remains to be seen, but players can judge for themselves when Control Resonant comes to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S later this year.
This preview is based on a private Discord briefing with Remedy Entertainment. The final product is subject to change.
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Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can’t enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?