In Control: Resonance, Remedy moves the battlefield from the enclosed Old House to the open streets of Manhattan, reshaping the series' gameplay with gravity-based movement and melee combat systems. Players can flip orientations, soar through the air, and traverse New York's architecture, which twists and folds in impossible ways.
This title is a sequel to 2019's Control, though both games can be played in any order. The previous installment followed Jesse Faden, the new director of the Federal Bureau of Control, as she battled the alien force known as the Hiss; this time, players take on the role of her brother, Dylan. As the Hiss and other interdimensional threats invade Manhattan, Dylan must clear out the invaders while searching for Jesse, who went missing after the events of the first game.
Unlike its predecessor, which was confined to the interior of the Old House, Control: Resonance features a larger-scale open world. The invading forces have altered the city's structure, causing buildings to bend in impossible ways and gravity to behave unpredictably. Combat has also shifted: while the previous game focused primarily on shooting, this entry emphasizes melee combat, with Dylan wielding a shapeshifting weapon that can transform into forms like whips and hammers.
The early game retains common open-world structures such as missions, boss battles, and map exploration. The movement system only reveals its full potential as abilities are gradually unlocked. Dylan can fly briefly, dash in mid-air, perform double jumps, walk on walls and ceilings, and later teleport to distant landing spots. These abilities are used not only for quick traversal across New York but also form the basis for platforming and puzzle-solving segments that emphasize spatial awareness.
The story progresses through cutscenes and radio conversations between Dylan and Zoe, his Federal Bureau of Control liaison, with recordings, documents, and instructional videos further fleshing out the world-building. Some side quests shift from ordinary tasks to supernatural occurrences, such as hailing a ghostly taxi or talking to a lightbulb to calm it down. The narrative involves parallel dimensions, anomalous physics, multiple timelines, and supernatural mold.
The game continues the series' distinctive audiovisual style, with some platforming scenes featuring compositions reminiscent of interactive art exhibitions. However, several notable issues arise during the experience: Dylan's character development feels somewhat flat in the early stages, later battles throw numerous durable enemies at the player simultaneously, and even the minimap struggles to fully prevent getting lost in the city's layered, folded spaces. The game includes an assistance mode to lower combat difficulty.