The sequel to Remedy Entertainment’s 2019 hit Control arrives seven years later as Control Resonant. Set after the original’s chaotic finale, the story expands from the cramped halls of the Oldest House to a Manhattan that folds upon itself like a kaleidoscopic puzzle. While the visual spectacle draws many players in, the true depth of the game lives in the piles of paperwork the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) dutifully files. Ignoring those files is an option, but diving into them uncovers hidden mechanics, secret character dynamics, and even a workplace romance that would make any office drama jealous.
Why the in-game documents matter
Every enemy type you encounter is logged by the FBC’s Threat Assessment Team. These logs appear in a separate tab after you first battle a creature, and they serve a dual purpose: they teach you attack patterns and weaknesses, and they act as a narrative conduit. For instance, the entry on the Hiss-infused city bus details its “motherly” relationship with the drone seats that sprout from it. The same note is later referenced by Lydia M.B. McPierce, a mold-specialist, who sarcastically quotes the description while teasing her colleague Rick Patel. Their banter, hidden among combat tips, gradually builds a secret romance that never appears in cutscenes.
Rick’s logs are stark and procedural, yet he slips personal touches—a line about swapping duties to protect Lydia from nausea-inducing mold attacks, for example. Lydia’s responses are peppered with humor, footnotes, and occasional challenges to a chess rematch. The final log Rick writes reads like a love letter: he confesses his feelings, references their imagined chaotic dates, and asks Lydia to answer over coffee. Though the game leaves the outcome ambiguous, the exchange turns two faceless bureaucrats into memorable characters, rewarding players who read beyond the combat.
Combat overhaul and the new protagonist
Switching from Jesse Faden to Dylan Faden reshapes the combat experience dramatically. Dylan, voiced by Sean Durrie, starts as a quiet, almost mute figure—an understandable result of decades spent in coma and isolation. His default look—a greying, disheveled aesthetic—doesn’t help first impressions, so many players, including the author of this article, experiment with the extensive cosmetic system to create a more charismatic avatar, such as a blond “gym teacher” version that feels immediately more engaging.
The most substantial change lies in the weaponry. Jesse’s iconic Service Weapon is replaced by the shape-shifting Aberrant which can morph into several melee forms. The Glaive, paired with the Extend secondary mode, feels especially satisfying, letting players sweep through hordes of Hiss and mold while maintaining a rhythm reminiscent of Monster Hunter encounters. Power customization, like the popular Barrage ability, bridges the gap between the new close-quarters focus and the projectile-heavy combat of the original. Even on lower difficulty, the boss encounters—dubbed “Resonants”—require keen spatial awareness and pattern memorization, proving the combat depth matches the game’s surreal aesthetic.
World-building beyond the fights
Remedy continues its tradition of embedding lore in the environment. Scattered documents reveal everything from an influencer’s commentary on Manhattan’s “inception” streets to the FBC’s ethical violations, painting a picture of a bureaucratic agency tangled in supernatural chaos. These details are not mere filler; they flesh out the world’s tone, making every hallway feel intentional. The game also introduces an Assist Mode, a response to long-standing criticism of the original’s difficulty spikes. While the author prefers the challenge, the mode ensures those with motor-skill concerns can still enjoy the narrative and hidden stories.
Players who skim combat will miss the tender notes between Rick and Lydia, the subtle jokes hidden in enemy descriptions, and the nuanced portrayal of a protagonist learning to speak after years of silence. The balance between an aggressive melee system and a deeply layered lore makes the sequel feel both familiar and fresh, confirming Remedy’s ability to evolve without abandoning the core weirdness that defined the first game.
