Club Benefits
Control Resonant is one of this year’s major releases and a game I’m personally looking forward to playing when it releases on September 24. As a direct sequel to Control, it builds on the established lore while also featuring new gameplay mechanics and some trippy environments. It’s the kind of mix-up we didn’t know we needed.
I recently sat down with Mikael Kasurinen, Creative Director at Remedy Entertainment, to gain more insight into Control Resonant. What struck me most wasn’t just the wild new direction the game is taking, but how thoughtfully Mikael and the team are flipping the script on everything we loved about the first Control while staying true to its soul.
I was already excited about Control Resonant, but after speaking with Mikael, I’m even more eager to get my hands on this game. We’ll have a hands-on article posted soon, but for now, check out my interview to gain more insight into what will be a uniquely cool game.
Editor's note: This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
A different perspective
The first game dropped us into the mysterious, ever-shifting Oldest House as Jesse Faden, a newcomer to the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC). We learned the rules of this strange world right alongside her. Control: Resonant is taking the opposite approach.
"These two games have a relationship — like they are two sides of the same coin."
Mikael Kasurinen, Creative Director at Remedy Entertainment
“These two games have a relationship — like they are two sides of the same coin,” Mikael told me. The first game was about descending into darkness, but this one is about stepping out into the sun, or at least, a version of New York that’s been warped by paranormal forces.
You play as Dylan Faden, Jesse’s brother. At ten years old, he was taken and spent years inside the Oldest House. All the things that felt alien and terrifying to Jesse (and us) are normal to Dylan. Now, in the streets of a warped Manhattan, he’s a fish out of water in our world. We see everything through Dylan’s eyes.
This change in perspective affects the entire story. While Jesse’s journey was one of wonder and discovery, Dylan’s adventure is more complicated, given his extensive experience with the paranormal. What might be normal for us will seem alien to Dylan.
Not the NYC you recognize
Whereas the Old House was confined to one location for the first game, it has now spread out of its confines and affected Manhattan. Though much grander in scale, this world is built on the same philosophy as the Oldest House, just turned inside out.
“Every place is directed, thought through, considered, bespoke.”
Mikael Kasurinen, Creative Director at Remedy Entertainment
Instead of sectors with distinct themes, Manhattan is broken into bespoke “bubbles” or zones, each stuck in its own time of day and shaped by different paranormal forces. For instance, one area might be locked in midnight while the next is bathed in golden-hour light. Then there are the forces themselves, such as the twisted world, the strange physics, and the ever-growing threat of Mold.
“Every place is directed, thought through, considered, bespoke,” Mikael said. You won’t find generic open-world filler here. Every zone has its own tone, color, and personality.
Aggressive combat
The biggest change you would have noticed between games is the combat. Where Jesse wielded the ever-changing Service Weapon and leaned into telekinetic Launch powers from cover, Dylan goes in swinging… literally. Instead of being a shooter like before, Control Resonant is a melee-focused game.
"When you give [players] a melee weapon, they run in.”
Mikael Kasurinen, Creative Director at Remedy Entertainment
Dylan wields the Aberrant, a shape-shifting melee weapon that feels like a natural extension of his identity, the same way the Service Weapon felt like Jesse’s. Since the Aberrant changes shape, it can turn into whatever you need during a given situation. For example, it can become a massive hammer or a deadly blade. Switching forms leaves the husk of a previous form behind, which gives fights a sense of life and improvisation.
“We wanted that aggressive kind of gameplay,” Mikael explained. “Really using all these different tools that you have in your toolbox… When you give [players] a melee weapon, they run in.”
It’s not just about getting up close, though. The systemic combat is designed so that you have nowhere to hide and must stay aggressive and creative. Basically, if you try to stay still, you’re going to meet an untimely end. This is especially true since enemies share Dylan's attributes, including his traversal powers and his ability to create gravitational anomalies.
Forging your own playstyle
Though Control Resonant isn’t an RPG in the traditional sense, its customization options will be just as deep.
As you defeat Resonant Entities (the game’s powerful paranormal beings), you earn families of powers. However, you can only pick one from each. One early choice will give you either a barrage-style rock throw or a spinning 360 shield you can use offensively. There are indirect abilities too, such as floating asteroids that auto-attack, or powers that turn enemies against each other.
Toss in other elements like talents, artifacts, and a more flexible outfit system (head, uniform base, and upper-body pieces you can mix and match), and it sounds like every player’s Dylan could feel different.
The Remedy-verse
One of the more enjoyable aspects of Remedy’s games is how they’re all interconnected. But if you’re just coming into Control Resonant without having played the original (or the Alan Wake titles), you won’t be lost.
“We want every game to stand on [its] own two feet.”
Mikael Kasurinen, Creative Director at Remedy Entertainment
Mikael was clear that the Control games need to stand on their own. You shouldn’t need to have played the first one (or Alan Wake 2) to enjoy Resonant. There’s a short “previously on” style video at the start for context, but the story is designed so new players can jump in. If you’re interested in the deeper Remedy-verse connections, then great. However, they’re not required.
“We want every game to stand on [its] own two feet,” said Mikael. “You can jump into any of them.”
Outlook
Control Resonant sounds like it's taking everything that worked about the first game and twisting it into something fresh yet familiar. Based on my conversation with Mikael Kasurinen, it’s clear that Remedy is making its most ambitious game yet.
This should be a genuinely weird and perhaps unsettling experience. And I’m all in for it. Control Resonant launches on September 24 for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, and PC.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Alternatively, you can read our content on the Tom's Guide app available now for iOS and Android. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less.
More from Tom's Guide
