Remedy Entertainment follows the acclaimed Alan Wake 2 with Control Resonant, a sequel to 2019’s Control that expands the series into an open-world action RPG. Early reviews suggest another worthwhile release from the studio, although it has not matched the remarkable critical response enjoyed by Alan Wake 2.
For readers who follow the latest arcade and gaming news, the reception offers an interesting snapshot of how established studios are adapting familiar ideas into larger worlds.
Control Resonant lands in the mid-80s
Control Resonant currently holds an 84 on Metacritic and an 85 on OpenCritic. Those are strong aggregate results, but they place the game among a crowded group of well-regarded releases competing for attention during awards season.
Its average sits alongside games such as Star Wars: Zero Company, The Blood of Dawnwalker, Onimusha: Way of the Sword and Mixtape. It has also reviewed more strongly than the original Control, which was critically acclaimed and became a serious Game of the Year contender in 2019.
A striking world remains the biggest strength
Much of the praise centres on Remedy’s interpretation of New York. A 9/10 review highlighted the game’s visual design, including scenes where the city bends and reshapes itself in surreal ways. The environments and enemy encounters, particularly the bosses, were described as extraordinary.
An 8/10 review also identified the setting and Remedy’s storytelling as major positives. Dylan Faden, the game’s protagonist, gives players a readable way into the series’ stranger ideas. His troubled history as an FBC experiment makes him sympathetic, even if the character is presented as a relatively straightforward hero.
The strongest moments appear to come from the same combination of unusual architecture, unsettling concepts and character-focused storytelling that defined the earlier game. That approach should appeal to players who enjoy unusual worlds as much as traditional action.
The melee-focused combat divides critics
Control Resonant moves away from the first game’s emphasis on third-person shooting and places greater weight on open-world hack-and-slash combat. That change is proving more divisive than the setting.
A three-star review argued that the move away from the Oldest House produces a less distinctive setting, one that feels closer to a conventional cinematic blockbuster. The melee system was also considered functional rather than meaningfully improved.
Another review was considerably harsher, awarding the game 2/5. Its criticism focused on shallow combat: limited combo creativity, little advanced movement to master and few inventive ways to combine abilities. Compared with expressive action games such as Devil May Cry, God of War, Bayonetta and Hi-Fi Rush, the reviewer felt that repeated button presses replaced experimentation.
That concern is important because a combat-heavy open-world structure asks players to spend more time engaging with the action. A system that feels restrictive can make the additional space seem like padding rather than meaningful freedom.
A solid sequel with a difficult comparison
Other criticism targets the way the sequel handles its connection to the original. Some reviewers felt that the first game’s protagonist is sidelined and that the expanded world is filled with routine activities. From that perspective, the sequel loses some of the unusual creative spark that made Remedy’s earlier work so memorable.
Overall, the review picture points to a successful but uneven release. Control Resonant appears to deliver an imaginative world and strong storytelling, while its shift towards melee action and open-world design will not work equally well for everyone.
It is unlikely to receive the same near-universal enthusiasm as Alan Wake 2, but Remedy’s games often develop a lasting reputation beyond their launch scores. The original Control is a useful example: its Metacritic score was 82, yet its standing with players and critics grew considerably over time.
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