Control Resonant Drops Guns for Melee Combat in Distorted Manhattan
Remedy's decision to replace the series' signature gunplay with melee combat and an open-world structure represents a fundamental genre shift from third-person shooter to action RPG, a risk that the hands-on previews suggest pays off through vertical combat design.
Key Facts
- Control Resonant launches on September 24, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Mac, and PC via Epic Games Store and Steam.
- The sequel replaces protagonist Jesse Faden with her brother Dylan, who wields a transforming melee weapon called the Aberrant Form instead of the Service Weapon pistol.
- The setting moves from the Oldest House to an open, gravity-defying Manhattan distorted by a supernatural force called Resonance.
- Combat emphasizes three-dimensional movement with floating, aerial dashes, and double jumps, combined with melee combos and psychic abilities.
- The game introduces a world editor using Universal Scene Description (USD) technology for real-time stage editing, running on Remedy's Northlight Engine.
Reporting from 3 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Game Spark.
Remedy Entertainment's 'Control Resonant' is set to launch on September 24, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Mac, and PC via Epic Games Store and Steam. The sequel shifts protagonist from Jesse Faden to her brother Dylan, who wields a transforming melee weapon called the Aberrant Form instead of the previous game's Service Weapon pistol. The setting moves from the closed Oldest House to an open, gravity-defying Manhattan, where reality is distorted by a supernatural force called Resonance. Combat emphasizes three-dimensional movement with floating, aerial dashes, and double jumps, combined with melee combos and psychic abilities. Enemies include the returning Hiss and a new faction called the Mold. The game introduces a new world editor using Universal Scene Description (USD) technology for real-time stage editing, running on Remedy's Northlight Engine. Creative Director Mikael Kasurinen and actor Sean Durrie (Dylan) were interviewed by Game Spark. The game will include Japanese voice and subtitles at launch, addressing a criticism of the original 'Control.'
Creative Director Mikael Kasurinen told Game Spark that the team visited Manhattan in 2023 with a professional location scout to capture back alleys and unique angles not available on Google Maps. The goal was a Manhattan "instantly recognizable as this game," achieved through a reworked lighting and art style.
The Aberrant Form weapon is a manifestation of "The Board," a transcendent being from the previous game. It emits a low, eerie voice during combat. Denfaminicogamer described its sound effects as "both inorganic and organic," enhancing battle exhilaration.
Boss battles include a "Resonant Body" - a floating giant head that throws rocks and taxis. The preview showed a finishing move where Dylan stabs the eyeball repeatedly, then says, "You were once human too." The Hiss and Mold factions are color-coded: red Hiss fly above ground, while the Mold spreads from subway tunnels with a "sweet, seductive smell."
Build adjustments happen in a space called "The Gap," accessed by holding the down directional button. Players can respec abilities and upgrade weapons using materials like "Corruption Elements" from defeating Heavy Hiss. The preview build guided players to freely combine three combat abilities, weapon forms, and eight talent points.
The game includes an exclusive song "Manalan Mailla" performed by Finnish ethno-pop artist Vilma Jää. Denfaminicogamer noted the game is accessible to newcomers, calling it "a more solid action game than expected."
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.