Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Control centers on Jesse Faden’s search for her brother inside the shifting Oldest House, the Federal Bureau of Control’s supernatural headquarters. CONTROL Resonant shifts to Dylan Faden and a reality-warped Manhattan, with Remedy describing a third-person action RPG built around melee combat, character builds, and exploration across distinct zones. It changes the viewpoint, setting, and gameplay emphasis—but it is not described as an open-world game.
Control vs. CONTROL Resonant at a glance
| What changes | Control | CONTROL Resonant |
|---|---|---|
| Lead character | Jesse Faden | Dylan Faden |
| Main setting | The FBC’s shifting Oldest House | Reality-warped Manhattan, explored through distinct zones |
| Announced genre and emphasis | Supernatural action-adventure | Third-person action RPG, with transforming melee weapon combat and buildcrafting emphasized |
| World structure | A changing, interconnected headquarters | Large, separate zones with optional activities and discoveries; Remedy says it is not open world |
| Can newcomers start here? | The first game establishes Jesse, Dylan, and the FBC | Official messaging presents it as a fresh entry point, while retaining connections for returning fans |
These are differences in the announced direction, not a complete inventory of every mechanic in either game. Remedy’s official descriptions establish Resonant’s premise and emphasis, but do not support claims that it removes every ranged or psychic mechanic associated with Control.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How the story and setting differ
Control follows Jesse through the Oldest House
In Control, Jesse Faden enters the Federal Bureau of Control’s headquarters while searching for her missing brother. The Oldest House is a supernatural, shifting building, so the setting itself shapes the game’s exploration and atmosphere.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Resonant puts Dylan in Manhattan
CONTROL Resonant makes Dylan Faden the lead and expands the action beyond the Oldest House into a Manhattan transformed by otherworldly forces. Remedy’s gameplay announcement places Dylan in the West Incursion Zone, where the environment has been reshaped by the crisis. The change gives the sequel a city-scale backdrop rather than making the Bureau’s headquarters its defining location.
#1 Best Overall
- STEP INTO A WARPED REALITY: Explore multiple areas of a ravaged Manhattan in an expansive, unfamiliar, and exciting world. Traverse perception-bending locations and grapple with gravity anomalies that distort the vertical and horizontal plane, adding additional dimensions to puzzles and new tactical decisions to combat. Meet faces old and new on a path fraught with risk but rich in opportunity as the cityscape is reshaped and reality is redefined by a godlike force.
- MASTER THE PARANATURAL: Channel the raw experiences of Dylan’s past to help understand his present and dig deeper into the inner workings of the FBC and reveal the horrors threatening humankind. Tap into power he must learn to master and take choices to shape how his abilities manifest and grow. Explore a deep progression system to define how Dylan adapts to emerging dangers. Forge connections crucial to Dylan’s fight to retain his humanity as he journeys from former test subject to paranatural superweapon
- THE FIGHT SHIFTS. YOUR WEAPON SHIFTS WITH IT: Meet constantly evolving threats head-on, utilising the environment, deploying elemental abilities and using the raw force Dylan’s shapeshifting melee weapon, the Aberrant. Wield the Aberrant in its many deadly forms. Deliver bone-crunching blows with a two-handed hammer and flow seamlessly into the swift precision of dual-wielded blades as this paranatural weapon morphs on demand to meet each new challenge.
- SHARED LEGACY. NEW THREAT: FBC Director Jesse Faden's lockdown is no longer holding. A paranatural catastrophe has spilled beyond the Oldest House and onto the streets of Manhattan, and the Bureau's grip on containment is failing. Jesse Faden walked into the Oldest House to confront the threat within. Now Dylan must walk out of it to contain the threat beyond.
The sibling relationship connects the two stories: Jesse’s path and the mysteries surrounding her and Dylan remain relevant to returning players. Remedy’s announcement identifies the game as developed and published by Remedy Entertainment, and co-financed and co-produced with Annapurna Pictures. Remedy’s CONTROL Resonant page
How gameplay is changing
Resonant is framed as an action RPG
Remedy describes Resonant as a third-person action RPG. Its announced combat centers on Dylan’s transforming melee weapon, supernatural abilities, player choice, and buildcrafting. That points to more emphasis on close-range weapon combat and developing a character build than the first game’s action-adventure framing.
“Melee-focused” is a fair description of the announced emphasis, but not proof that all ranged options or psychic abilities are gone. The official material does not provide a complete final ability list or an exhaustive, one-to-one mechanics comparison. Remedy’s gameplay announcement
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesExploration has optional layers
Resonant’s zones are described as containing side activities, hidden encounters, and optional discoveries. Remedy also highlights Gravity Anomalies, areas where gravity and orientation shift. These details suggest exploration that can lead away from the main route, but they do not establish that every zone uses the same layout or activity mix.
Rank #3
- The action RPG sequel to Control, developed and published by Remedy Entertainment.
Is CONTROL Resonant open world?
No. Remedy lead gameplay designer Sergey Mohov explicitly distinguishes the game from the open-world format: “Control Resonant isn’t an open-world game, but it is built around large, distinct, and expansive zones filled with side activities, hidden encounters, and optional discoveries.” In other words, expect sizeable areas with optional content, not one seamless world. PlayStation Blog: gameplay deep dive
Do you need to play Control first?
No prior playthrough is required according to official platform-holder messaging. PlayStation calls Resonant “a fresh entry point” into Remedy’s FBC world, and Xbox Wire says players can jump in without prior knowledge of Control. Returning players can expect familiar threats, characters, and echoes of Jesse’s story, so playing Control first may provide more context—but it is not presented as a prerequisite. PlayStation’s announcement · Xbox Wire’s announcement
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Platforms and release information
Remedy listed PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, and Mac via Steam and the App Store for a 2026 release. PlayStation’s PS5 announcement specified September 24, 2026. Because that date has passed, check the relevant storefront for current availability, editions, and platform-specific details rather than assuming a listing or release status. Remedy’s game page · PlayStation’s PS5 release announcement
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →For PS5, PlayStation described the game’s design as built with a 60 fps performance target in mind and said DualSense adaptive triggers would add tactile feedback to combat abilities. These are stated design aims and feature descriptions, not independent performance-test results. PlayStation Blog: gameplay deep dive
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
