“We didn’t want the brooding hero out for revenge”: How quiet lulls and a bird-sketching lead make Control Resonant a more introspective kind of action game
Control Resonant pairs brutal action with extended quiet moments, making it a more introspective game than the original Control. The shift matters because it reflects Dylan’s perspective: a man trained for violence who is newly free, but feels responsible for his missing sister and a threatened Manhattan.
The article describes combat against enemy hordes followed by time to explore, notice small details and help characters, including a dog seeking a toy. Enemies generally do not respawn, giving players room to absorb the surroundings. Director Mikael Kasurinen says the team wanted Dylan to empathise with monsters and see beauty amid horror, rather than play a brooding avenger.
In short
- Control Resonant balances violent combat with quiet exploration.
- Dylan’s story centres on guilt, empathy and life beyond violence.
- Fewer respawning enemies give players space to pause.
Explained simply
Control is a video game series about the Federal Bureau of Control, a secret agency dealing with supernatural threats. In Control Resonant, players follow Dylan, a man who has spent years confined by the agency and trained to fight.
Dylan is newly free, while his sister is missing and Manhattan faces danger. The story follows his efforts to understand what has happened and help people around him, alongside battles with hostile creatures.