Reviews for Control: Resonance praise its surreal open world, environmental design, and character performances, but argue that the melee-focused combat system lacks sufficient variety to sustain a playtime exceeding 30 hours.
The story begins with Dylan Faden being awakened by his sister Jesse after seven years in a coma, only to be thrust into an interdimensional war. Jesse quickly disappears, leaving the leaderless and disadvantaged Federal Bureau of Control to rely on Dylan to contend with multiple forces transforming Manhattan into an otherworldly labyrinth.
The game continues Control's brutalist and surreal aesthetic, expanding the scope of distortions from the "Oldest House" to the streets of New York. Roads and vehicles bend vertically toward the sky, buildings stretch over abysses, and entire city blocks spiral along different axes. Some areas are corrupted by the "Hiss," while others form radial structures under the influence of the new faction, the "Shapers."
Everyday locations like cafes, laundromats, and galleries are still scattered among the distorted streets, and the juxtaposition of realistic environments with anomalous landscapes further enhances the sense of unease. Dylan can gradually acquire abilities such as floating, air dashing, double jumping, and changing gravity direction. Reviews praised the game's environmental design, lighting performance, and movement mechanics.
Unlike Jesse, who uses shape-shifting firearms, Dylan relies on a shape-shifting melee weapon called the "Mutant." This weapon can switch between forms such as a short axe, scythe, dual daggers, hammer, drill, and floating saw blades, while abilities like telekinetic throws and adding fire damage require energy consumption.
Reviews suggest that while later unlocked content adds depth to combat, the base attack damage is insufficient in the early game, often forcing players to first perform an execution and then stack temporary damage buffs to deal with heavy enemies. Unstable target locking, enemy teleportation, and a barrage of projectiles can also disrupt the offensive rhythm. Boss fights are more threatening, but their excessively long health bars can still make battles feel drawn out.
Repeatedly executing and clearing out common enemies eventually becomes the main issue in this lengthy campaign. The game also calculates character level based on weapon upgrades, ability points, and collected health and energy enhancements, meaning players who rush through the main story or interesting side quests may enter areas with higher-level enemies. Control: Resonance is developed and published by Remedy Entertainment, scheduled for release on September 24, 2026, priced at $60 or £50, with Steam Deck compatibility status yet to be verified.