One of the most anticipated games of my entire gamescom trip was CONTROL: Resonant. As a massive Remedy Entertainment fan, I couldn’t wait to check out what I knew was undoubtedly going to be a mind-blowing and unique experience. I mean, the team as a whole is essentially the second coming of David Lynch, with each project being an amalgamation of Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, Dune, and other-inspired worlds meshed together with whatever is going on in Sam Lake’s head.
Having released a few other games since the first CONTROL, the worldscape has been fleshed out enough to finally bring other characters to the forefront. This time, we’re looking at the director of the Federal Bureau of Control, Jesse Faden’s elusive and research-ridden brother, Dylan. Now, let me preface this by saying that I didn’t get a hands-on experience when I met with the Remedy Entertainment team to talk about the new Altered State trailer. However, I did get to check out the game’s booth on the show floor and see what people were able to enjoy from a distance.
Dylan Has Been Busy Since CONTROL
I’m not exactly sure when, within the game, the gameplay session starts you off at, but players were able to grab hold of the insane abilities that Dylan has learned while in The Oldest House. If you played the first CONTROL at all, you might be excited to know that things like flying around and other telekinetic abilities make their return in Dylan, and the power is unimaginable.
After making their way out of The Oldest House and into a dilapidated New York City, the game really opened up. The Hiss seems to be returning as the primary antagonist in the game, and as a result, its takeover has left people floating in the air and buildings destroyed. But—good news for you as a player—that means that the city is open for you to freely explore!
During the exploration of New York City, I was able to see bits of the in-game menu, with what appear to be different skill trees for different weapons, forms, and abilities. It looks like you’ll need to earn points to unlock things like Perfect Dodge.
This definitely ties into the gameplay, which I’m not sure why, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so epic and stylish. The person I was watching was fighting against a massive female head named The Artist, and just the look of the battle felt as though building up your perfect Dylan build is going to be important.
Remedy Has My Attention Again (As Always)
CONTROL: Resonant is meant to be a sequel to the 2018 game, with players being put in the shoes of Jesse’s brother, Dylan Fader. However, it’s also clear that the team at Remedy Entertainment didn’t want to just make a sequel that players were expecting. The up close and fast melee gameplay definitely seems to wildly different than the third-person shooter style from CONTROL, but it’s just as tied to the narrative as well. It seems like a genuine step up from the gameplay of the original, while building on the evolution of storytelling Alan Wake Two possessed.
I didn’t get a chance to see much more of the playable gameplay while I was at gamescom, but what I did see makes me pretty jealous of everyone who was able to experience it for themselves. CONTROL: Resonant is expected to be available on September 24, 2026, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
