Control Resonant Plays Like A Goth Kingdom Hearts (And I Love It)

Control Resonant represents a significant evolution for the Control universe. While the original 2019 game starred Jesse Faden, the sequel focuses on her brother, Dylan. This shift in perspective also brings a new style of gameplay, moving away from Jesse’s supernatural abilities to a quicker, action-packed hack-and-slash combat system. This new approach gives the game a distinct feel, particularly during fights, and is a daring decision by Remedy Entertainment that has mostly succeeded.

During Summer Game Fest 2026, ComicBook had a chance to play Control Resonant. The game emphasizes its atmosphere and how it plays. Players who enjoyed the first game will find the gameplay familiar, but the new focus on fast-paced, hack-and-slash combat might be unexpected. This combat is unique because it features a lot of aerial movement, keeping players mostly off the ground. Thankfully, it’s a welcome change! The combat feels similar to the smooth, flowing combos in Kingdom Hearts, but with a darker, gothic style, resulting in a really enjoyable experience.

Control Resonant’s Flowy Airborne Combat Is Great

Unlike the third-person combat in Control, Control Resonant focuses on fast-paced, aerial action. The demo showcased how nimble the character Dylan is, giving him several abilities that keep him airborne during fights. Players will need to learn to keep enemies suspended in the air by breaking their defenses, and then follow up with attacks. This aerial style is further enhanced by quick dashes, double jumps, and the ability to float. These abilities create a combat experience that feels similar to Kingdom Hearts, where Sora often fights and delivers combos while in the air.

The ‘Control Resonant’ ability lets players quickly switch between enemies and continue attacking, even while moving across the battlefield. This creates a surprisingly fast-paced and dynamic combat experience, which contrasts with the game’s generally dark and serious atmosphere. The gameplay feels very aerial and energetic, and will likely appeal to fans of games like those from Square Enix or the combo-focused action of Devil May Cry 5. It’s easy to learn, especially during the early stages where you’re fighting waves of enemies and focusing on taking down larger, reinforcement-bringing opponents.

I was really impressed with how challenging the game is! It’s tough, but not in a frustrating way – things like sudden enemy swarms or invisible foes kept me on my toes. It struck a great balance between fast-paced action and keeping things manageable. The controls are super tight, which is good because you can move quickly, and I almost fell off a building a couple of times! Honestly, one of the coolest parts of the demo was how fast and fluid the combat felt – zipping between enemies and pulling off these incredibly quick, almost anime-like attacks was just really satisfying.

Control Resonant’s Different Weapon Types Open Up A World Of Possibilities

Given how much the game focuses on fighting, the diverse weapons in Control Resonant really fit the experience. From the start, Control Resonant emphasizes intense combat, letting players choose from several different weapons, called Aberrants, as they take on the role of Dylan. You can pick quick-hitting dual swords, a powerful hammer, or a long-reaching scythe. This same level of choice extends to secondary attacks, which provide even more options for how you fight.

Players have the freedom to improve their core abilities and easily switch between different fighting styles. The game encourages experimentation, letting players discover what works best for them and even change their strategy later on. This system worked really well in the demo, allowing journalists to quickly test out a variety of combat options.

This is a surprisingly effective way to make the game more engaging and encourage players to keep exploring and experimenting with different combat strategies while refining their favorites. It also keeps the combat from becoming repetitive, ensuring it stays fresh and exciting. This means fights feel meaningful and aren’t just filler between impressive visuals and challenging boss battles. While the combat features more aerial moves than some players might remember from the first Control game, this new style offers a lot to enjoy.

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2026-06-10 20:42