6 Things We Loved From Our Control Resonant Hands-On Preview
Following our hands-on preview with the upcoming Control Resonant, I’m convinced it will be yet another banger of 2026 and here’s our takeaway from the two hours we spent with the sequel.
Control Resonant is the sequel to the critically acclaimed Control of 2019 from Remedy Entertainment, the studio that has brought us the likes of the Alan Wake series, as well as the two original Max Payne games (both of which are getting remade by the way).
Control is a third-person, supernatural action adventure, which follows the story of Jesse Faden, who is investigating the whereabouts of her missing mother. Her investigation leads her to the Oldest House, the HQ of the FBC (Federal Bureau of Control), think of an FBI agency and The X-Files with a hint of Twin Peaks, and you’re on the right path.
However, without giving too much away, Jesse walks straight into an extradimensional infestation, after entities known as the “Hiss” have plagued the Oldest House, and almost everyone has been turned into slaves to their powers, so to speak. Let’s just say that her investigation has become a lot more complicated.
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Now that the introduction is out of the way, let's talk about some of the things we loved from our time with Control Resonant.
Control Resonant Is Great for Newbies
While I would absolutely recommend playing 2019’s Control first, if Control Resonant was your introduction to this series, you’d be absolutely fine. Sure, some story beats from the original may fly over your head, and some characters might not be known to you, but you’ll pick it up eventually. Plus, if you do start with Control Resonant, just think of the 2019 game as a prequel, and you’re good to go. That being said, the story and events of this series are so bonkers, I’d still recommend veterans getting reacquainted with the original before Control Resonant.
A New Protagonist and Gameplay Approach
Look, I love Jesse; she’s a badass and charismatic, but sometimes, it’s nice to see a fresh face, and again, without spoiling anything, in Control Resonant, you play as her younger brother, Dylan. Jesse and Dylan have a very storied past, and while Jesse was able to make the most out of her life following a supernatural event from their childhood, Dylan was kidnapped by the FBC, held for years, and essentially became a lab rat, and had to deal with many cruel experiments so that they could learn about their acquired powers.
In Control Resonant, Dylan is set free, and this time, he’s looking for his sister and is on a mission to right some wrongs of his past. So, with a new playable protagonist, rather than sticking to what already worked, Remedy Entertainment has changed the gameplay to suit Dylan’s abilities. While the gameplay of Control is very firearm and telekinetic-combat-focused, Control Resonant is more of a fast-paced, melee action affair with telekinetic powers. In some ways, the melee combat very much reminded me of Devil May Cry.
What’s more, after each section of the game, players can swap Dylan’s abilities to better accommodate the upcoming combat situation, blowing the door wide-open to all sorts of customised player builds, perhaps what you might see in a roguelike, to an extent. Control Resonant has the series DNA, but with Dylan Fedden now leading the change, he’s certainly put his stamp on the sequel.
A Sandbox of Supernatural Mayhem
While by no means is Control Resonant an open world game, with much of the sequel being set outside the Oldest House, its situated area of New York is free to explore. Much like the 2019 game, you’ll have plenty of side-quests to take on, but now, you have an added sense of freedom that not only entices you to see what’s around the next corner, but you may even find the odd secret or two.
Expanded Optional Dialogue
Control had optional dialogue choices, but they never impacted the story. They existed more so to learn more about the NPC characters you’re talking to, and added lore of the FBC. It’s difficult to tell at this point how much your dialogue choices will impact the story of Control Resonant, but conversations feel more natural, and from the brief encounters that I had, it does seem that the NPCs may think of you differently, depending on how you interact with them. So it will be interesting to see how this player choice impacts the story in the full game, or not.
Incredible Level Design
If you’re already familiar with Control, and if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you are, saying Control Resonant has incredible level design will come as no surprise. There was one particular section of the hands-on preview called ‘Sinkhole’, and it consisted of three stages that increased in difficulty. The second stage of the ‘Sinkhole’ can only be described as being inside of a Rubik's Cube while fighting enemies. It was incredibly disorientating, and if this is just a taste of what’s to come, I can’t wait to become even more disoriented in the full game.
Next Level Audio Design
Playing this game with a headset was an experience, let me tell you. The Tempest 3D AudioTech of the PlayStation 5 absolutely shone. Not only with how you could hear the 3D audio all around you, but the umph of your supernatural abilities when attacking the Hiss, the unnerving sounds of the Hiss, and the everyday environmental sounds of New York.
There was one moment near the end of the demo where I had to follow music from many static TVs to find a way out, and it was truly next-level audio. It’s hard to put it into words, but hopefully, you’ll know exactly what I’m trying to explain soon enough. Just to add, the voice acting and soundtrack were also top-notch.
Hopefully, with what is already a stacked year and with even more incredible games to come, Control Resonant won't get lost in the shuffle, because I believe it has the potential to be one of the best games of 2026. With a bit of luck, it will follow in the footsteps of the original game and be a really good seller over time, rather than an instant financial success. Though I’m sure Remedy Entertainment will be happy with either.
Control Resonant will be released on 24 September 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
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Topics: List, Preview, PlayStation, Xbox, PC