What makes Control Resonant different than the first game?

Remedy Entertainment has decided that making a straightforward sequel to CONTROL wouldn't be enough. Instead of sending Jesse Faden back into the Oldest House with a bigger Service Weapon, the studio has rebuilt the formula around a new protagonist, a transforming melee weapon, action-RPG mechanics and a warped version of Manhattan. CONTROL Resonant still has the paranormal weirdness that defined its predecessor, but almost everything surrounding it has changed. For longtime fans, that creates a fascinating question: how much can you change before a sequel stops feeling like the game people fell in love with?

This is not the CONTROL you remember

The biggest change in the sequel is also the most personal. CONTROL Resonant puts players in the shoes of Dylan Faden, Jesse's brother and one of the most important figures in the original game's mythology. Where CONTROL was largely about Jesse discovering the Oldest House, the Federal Bureau of Control and her own supernatural abilities, the new game shifts the focus toward Dylan and his relationship with his sister. Jesse remains important to the story, but she is no longer the playable protagonist. That gives Remedy a chance to explore a different side of the CONTROL universe instead of simply repeating Jesse's journey. It also changes the emotional centre of the series: the sequel is less about discovering a strange world and more about dealing with the consequences of what happened in it.

The same philosophy applies to combat. The Service Weapon was one of CONTROL's defining features, allowing Jesse to switch between weapon forms while combining gunfire with telekinesis and environmental attacks. Dylan instead wields the Aberrant, a transforming supernatural melee weapon that pushes encounters toward faster, closer and more aggressive fights. That completely changes the rhythm of combat.

CONTROL often allowed Jesse to hover above the battlefield and attack from multiple distances, while CONTROL Resonant encourages Dylan to move into close quarters, dodge incoming attacks and combine weapon forms with his supernatural abilities. The result is less supernatural shooter and more stylish action RPG, resulting in an experience that may reminisce titles like Devil May Cry. The transformation goes further through a deeper progression system that lets players develop different builds for Dylan. This adds considerably more experimentation than the original, but it also places greater pressure on Remedy to provide enemies and encounters that make those options worthwhile.

Then there is the setting. The Oldest House was practically a character in CONTROL: a brutalist maze where corridors shifted, rooms changed and paranormal phenomena could turn an ordinary office into something deeply unsettling. CONTROL Resonant takes that concept outside. The sequel explores a warped version of Manhattan, where supernatural forces have escaped the Oldest House and begun transforming the city. Instead of gradually learning one impossible building, players explore larger areas filled with side activities, paranormal events and hidden stories. However, while a larger Manhattan has more room to experiment, it also has more room for repetitive encounters and activities.

Remedy has chosen the weird route again

There was a safe way to make CONTROL 2: bring back Jesse, expand the Service Weapon, add more powers and send players deeper into the Oldest House. Remedy has chosen almost none of that. Instead, Dylan gets the Aberrant, Manhattan gets thoroughly messed up and CONTROL evolves from a supernatural shooter into a considerably more ambitious action RPG. That doesn't guarantee every fan will love the changes. It does, however, make CONTROL Resonant a much more interesting sequel than a simple expansion of the original formula would have been.

The Oldest House was only the beginning. If you want to join Dylan in this unique adventure that expands the paranormal world of CONTROL beyond its original boundaries, use our comparator to get your copy of Control Resonant at the best price. The release of the game is scheduled for September 24, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.