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Control Resonant Review: Remedy's Best Combat Yet
ReControl Resonant Review: Remedy's Best Combat Yet
Remedy Entertainment's Control Resonant shifts to melee-focused action in Manhattan, delivering the studio's deepest and most satisfying gameplay while preserving its signature weirdness.
Remedy Entertainment has long been celebrated for narrative puzzle-boxes, but its newest release, Control Resonant, flips that reputation by putting gameplay first without abandoning the studio's trademark strangeness. The result is a confident, melee-focused action game set in a vividly reimagined Manhattan that stands as Remedy's most accomplished combat experience to date.
Set seven years after the original Control, the story finds the mystical Oldest House still under siege by the Hiss. A second Altered World Event now threatens Manhattan, and with Federal Bureau of Control director Jesse Faden missing, her brother Dylan is released from his holding cell as a reluctant Plan B. Once a puppet of the Hiss and blamed for widespread carnage, Dylan is given a chance at redemption. Newcomers need not worry about the dense lore; the game offers a helpful recap of the first title to bring players up to speed.
Where Control was a third-person shooter, Resonant is a melee-driven action game that plays like a dark superhero adventure, drawing comparisons to Infamous or Prototype, though those labels undersell its depth. Dylan wields the Aberrant, a shape-shifting piece of metal that forms the backbone of intricate combat builds. It can become quick-strike clubs with critical-hit potential, a slower sweeping scythe, or a balanced form that deals bonus damage from behind. A sprawling upgrade tree and respec tokens encourage constant experimentation, and no single path feels obviously superior, letting players tailor their approach freely.
Over the 30-to-40-hour story, players fortify both the Aberrant and Dylan with a trove of enhancements, equipping up to six special abilities at once and swapping combinations almost at will. Shields, telekinetics, and friendly summons are among the options, each giving Dylan a distinct feel while looking and feeling excellent in action. The power climb is supremely satisfying because it rewards thoughtful decisions rather than rote grinding.
Combat revolves around a risk-versus-reward dynamic built on the Falter meter. Instead of simply chipping away at health bars, players can fill an enemy's Falter meter to trigger a finishing move that grants Dominance, a temporary damage buff. Enemies killed normally drop health refills, but those executed via Falter do not; instead, Dominance converts to extra health drops when those enemies are dispatched. With swarms of foes often surrounding Dylan, each encounter becomes a series of quick decisions about when to trade health for damage and when to save buffs for the right target.
There is no parry or blocking mechanic. The combat is built entirely around aggression, including a dodge that rewards perfect timing with a counter and possibly more buffs depending on the build. When played well, Dylan stays on the offensive, dashing around the map to bash ground enemies, double-jumping to reach flying foes, and carefully managing his powers to have the right solution for every bout. On default difficulty, Resonant is tough, though not a souls-like. It will challenge some players, as it did early on, but learning enemy strengths and weaknesses while imbuing Dylan with new tools makes the challenge feel fair. For those who come for the narrative and find themselves overwhelmed, an Assist Mode offers nuanced custom difficulty options and presets.
Despite the chaos of battle, with wispy Hiss shadows, street explosions, and abundant physics effects, the game runs smoothly. A 45-hour playthrough on PC with an RTX 4070 saw no performance hitches, a testament to Remedy's in-house Northlight engine. The technical strength becomes more apparent deeper into the main story, where the studio's artistic ambitions grow bolder. Control Resonant is a remarkable showcase for Remedy, proving the studio can deliver best-in-class gameplay without sacrificing the weirdness that defines it.
