Control 2 Is Wildly Different From the First Game (& That’s a Good Thing)

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Remedy Entertainment is one of the most consistently innovative studios in gaming today. Over the past ten years, they’ve become known for taking big risks, connecting their games with a shared story, and pushing the boundaries of what games can be. After the mixed response to their recent release, FBC: Firebreak, fans were excited to see what Remedy would do next, especially with Control 2 announced. Those hoping for a similar experience to the first Control should be prepared for something completely different – this sequel isn’t just a continuation, it’s a total reimagining.

The upcoming game Control: Resonant is generating a lot of excitement for 2026 because it’s a bold reinvention of the original. Forget the Oldest House – the sequel takes place in a distorted, crumbling Manhattan. Players will now control Dylan Faden, Alan Wake’s brother, as he struggles with his own inner demons. Resonant isn’t just a supernatural action game like the first Control; it’s a full-fledged action RPG with meaningful choices, a world that changes based on your actions, and a revamped combat system focused on close-quarters fighting. Remedy is taking a big risk by reimagining one of its flagship series, and it’s opening up exciting new possibilities for the future.

Control: Resonant Features a New Protagonist, New Story, & New Genre

The original Control showed players the strange world of the Federal Bureau of Control and the unsettling Oldest House. Now, Control: Resonant offers a different perspective, focusing on Dylan Faden, Jesse’s brother. Dylan is a complex character with a difficult history and powerful, unstable abilities. After being held by the FBC for years, he’s suddenly sent to stop a powerful cosmic force that’s destroying Manhattan, changing the laws of physics, and twisting reality into something completely new.

Unlike the slow-burn suspense of Control’s Oldest House, Resonant is a fast-paced action RPG. Players will explore large areas of Manhattan while fighting an invading force that can change gravity, the landscape, and even the laws of reality. According to Remedy, the game is a dynamic and surreal world where what you see is constantly shifting, and the environment warps based on the story and the main character’s state of mind.

While exploring eerie and distorted environments, players will control Dylan and develop his expanding supernatural powers. They can customize these powers through a robust progression system and master the Aberrant, a versatile, shape-shifting weapon central to the game’s combat. This represents a significant change in both the atmosphere and gameplay compared to the original game.

The story extends beyond the Federal Bureau of Control’s headquarters. Dylan’s adventure is both a fight to stay alive and a deeply personal search for Jesse, who is now the Director, as well as an attempt to understand the global crisis unfolding around them. According to Creative Director Mikael Kasurinen, Resonant is “bigger in scope, more ambitious, and made to be accessible even for players new to the original game.” This installment serves as a fresh starting point and a redefined identity for the Control series.

Why Remedy Is Evolving the Formula Instead of Repeating It

Remedy could have easily made a direct sequel to Control, adding more areas to the Oldest House, expanding the telekinetic fighting, and continuing the strange, bureaucratic supernatural themes. However, they realized that would limit the series’ future, especially now that they’re building a connected universe. Instead, they opted to innovate and take risks with Control: Resonant, aiming for something bigger, stranger, and more ambitious – similar to what they did with Alan Wake 2.

One key reason for this change is the game’s size. Resonant is planned to be Remedy’s largest game yet. The city of Manhattan isn’t just one building; it’s a huge, sprawling urban area dramatically altered by a cosmic event. This creates environments that twist your perception and offers new ways to explore, something the original game’s design couldn’t handle. Even compared to Bright Falls, the possibilities are far greater than anything Remedy has tried before.

Another key reason for this shift is expanding the types of games Remedy can make. They’ve been getting better at RPG and survival-horror design, as demonstrated in Alan Wake 2. Turning Control into an action-adventure RPG allows them to add more in-depth character progression, greater customization options, and choices that truly impact how players develop Dylan’s abilities – going beyond what was possible with Jesse in the first game. Control: Resonant will focus on player choice and its consequences, and offer a much more expansive power system than the original game’s straightforward ability upgrades.

Finally, a new protagonist offers creative freedom. With Dylan, a character grappling with inner turmoil, Remedy can explore deeper and more psychological themes. The game, titled Resonant, can build on the existing story of the Remedy Connected Universe while avoiding repeating the plot points of the first Control. This isn’t about abandoning what made Control great; it’s about expanding the universe, pushing boundaries, and seeing just how far the series can go.

Remedy Could Completely Change Melee Combat Designs

One of the biggest surprises in Control: Resonant for even veteran players is the improved melee combat. While melee attacks in the original Control felt like a secondary option, used for flashy moments but not central to gameplay, Resonant changes that. The main weapon players will use is the Aberrant, a melee weapon that can change shape to suit different fights and grows stronger as players progress, making it feel similar to Jesse’s iconic Service Weapon.

The game is moving towards a more impactful and engaging combat system. The Aberrant, a key ability, will likely be central to gameplay, moving beyond just a supporting role. Players can expect combat to feel more powerful, require precise timing, and have a strong physical presence that fits the game’s chaotic, supernatural world. Since the main character’s powers are unpredictable and changing, close-quarters combat might connect directly with the game’s reality-altering abilities.

Remedy is known for seamlessly combining storytelling with gameplay, and their upcoming game, Control: Resonant, offers a great chance to show Dylan’s inner conflicts through how the game is played. By challenging traditional game mechanics, Resonant has the potential to redefine action-RPGs. The sequel will also expand melee combat, allowing players to customize Dylan into various fighting styles – whether they prefer close-range combat, supernatural powers, or casting abilities. This level of customization reflects the game’s overall ambition: to be larger in scope, more complex, more personal, and more innovative than previous titles.

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2025-12-13 20:20