I admit, I’m usually a bit picky about graphics settings. With over 25 years of PC gaming experience, I tend to avoid “Low” quality options except on the lowest-end PCs or for extremely demanding titles. However, after completing my early performance and image quality tests for Control: Resonance, I was surprised to find that even with all settings turned down to their minimum, the dynamic visuals in this open world still look impressive.
The video clip below was recorded at 1080p resolution with low-quality presets and ray tracing disabled. When viewed fullscreen, video compression has a greater impact on visual quality. Nevertheless, even with all settings turned down, Manhattan’s streetscapes still look quite good.
In my opinion, the most striking aspect of its visuals is the distinct art style. Architectural details are crisp and well-defined, with strong light-and-shadow contrast. Even without ray tracing, the shimmering puddles remain pleasing to the eye. The game also conveys a genuine sense of scale. Although background buildings are shrouded in mist—masking imperfections—they complement the lighting effects beautifully, creating a highly immersive atmosphere.
Environmental interactivity is the most captivating aspect. Control: Resonance loves to play with its semi-destructible world elements; as Dylan runs, shattered debris trails behind him, and during combat, these fragments fly everywhere. The game is rich in content, and even with lowered options, most effects remain satisfying. This is certainly good news for players whose PCs aren’t top-of-the-line, since reducing graphical settings improves performance. Sure, at such low settings, you’ll notice some character faces looking a bit plastic-like in cutscenes, and certain store sign textures may appear lower resolution. But overall, the in-game visuals remain excellent.
In fact, it’s hard to think of another AAA title that looks this good with both visuals and settings turned down. Halo: Campaign Evolved might be one contender? It’s a close call, but I’d still choose Control: Resonance. Perhaps we’re entering an era where low-quality settings become the norm rather than the exception?
Given current GPU prices, we can only hope for the future.
