Control Resonant: Remedy Changed Genres, and Critics Approved With an 85 Average

Remedy Entertainment made Control Resonant the riskiest bet in its history: it swapped protagonist Jesse Faden for her brother Dylan, left the Oldest House for a warped Manhattan and turned the first game’s supernatural gunplay into an open-zone brawler. Reviews, lifted on September 18, say it paid off: an 85 average on OpenCritic, with 86% of critics recommending it. The game launches September 24 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.

Quick answer: is it worth it?

For anyone who loved Control and Alan Wake 2, yes — it is Remedy at peak weirdness, with the studio’s best world-building. The caveat is the gameplay: combat is varied but not deep, and the open zones of New York sometimes feel generic. It is a game of atmosphere and story before it is a game of systems.

What changed from the first Control

What critics praised

The weirdness, amplified

New York appears folded, stacked and fractured — streets that become ceilings, buildings that open like drawers. Reviews compared it to Inception and Doctor Strange, and VGC called it “one of its most impressive games ever.” The FBC (Federal Bureau of Control) finally appears as a fully realized government organization, with departments, bureaucracy and secrets.

Story and escalation

Anyone who played Control will recognize concepts from the first game pushed to their limits. Dylan, a mystery in 2019, gains depth, and the narrative ties into the shared universe with Alan Wake.

What fell short

Melee combat has a variety of moves and powers, but critics agree it lacks depth — encounters play out similarly after a few hours. The open zones, new for Remedy, “regularly feel overly familiar,” in one review’s words, with activities reminiscent of any open world. The game, they say, is “far from perfect,” but “reminds players of the beauty of not knowing everything.”

Why this matters to you

Control Resonant is the rare sequel that changes almost everything and lands well with critics — the opposite of Marvel’s Wolverine, which kept its formula and disappointed the same week. If you have a PS5, Series X or a decent PC, it is September’s most interesting launch for anyone who wants something different. If you prefer deep combat, reviews suggest waiting for patches or a sale.

Frequently asked questions

When does Control Resonant come out?

September 24, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Reviews were lifted on September 18.

What is Control Resonant’s review score?

An 85 average among top critics on OpenCritic, with an 86% recommendation rate, as of the embargo lift.

Do I need to have played Control to understand Resonant?

Not required, but it helps: the story continues events from the first game, and Dylan Faden was central to its mystery.

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