Control Resonant has plenty of strange ideas, but its most memorable feature may be the sound of The Board. This supernatural presence speaks with a voice so deep, distorted and physical that it can make a good pair of headphones feel like a small earthquake.
A new voice for The Board
In Control Resonant, players follow Dylan Faden, the supernaturally gifted brother of Jesse Faden, the protagonist of the first game. Dylan carries a powerful artefact resembling a shape-shifting rod, which he uses to batter hostile creatures.
The weapon also appears to have a connection with The Board: the mysterious otherworldly entity that directed Jesse in the previous game. This time, The Board acts as Dylan’s handler, guardian and benefactor, although that relationship remains every bit as unsettling as you would expect from the Control universe.
When The Board addresses Dylan, its delivery is almost impossible to describe in ordinary terms. It sounds like a demonic belch mixed with a hellish vuvuzela, submerged underwater and pushed through a wall of bass. The result is repulsive, funny and strangely compelling at the same time.
The effect is particularly strong when playing with headphones. The voice does not simply register as dialogue; it seems to vibrate through the listener. That makes every interruption from The Board feel unnerving, even when the sound itself becomes oddly satisfying.
“COMBO” might be The Board’s best line
The Board also makes brief appearances during combat. After a stylish execution, its warped vocalisation can sound remarkably like the word “COMBO”. Whether that is precisely what it is saying or not, the moment lands perfectly. Hearing that deep, unnatural announcement during a fight is enough to make the action feel even more theatrical.
The sound has already inspired enthusiastic discussion among players, including this conversation about The Board saying “COMBO” in the Control community.
Very different from the 2019 game
The Board did not sound like this in 2019’s Control. Its presentation in Resonant is much deeper and more aggressive, built from pops, groans and subterranean noise rather than a conventional spoken performance.
That change has made the entity a popular subject for clips and remixes. One fan-made Simpsons mash-up, shared by Chris Person (@papapishu.bsky.social), captures how quickly The Board’s voice can become lodged in your head.
For more gaming and arcade culture coverage, browse RETROCADE’s arcade blog or explore the latest arcade videos. Sound design like this also shows why choosing the right audio setup matters when building an arcade machine.
Could The Board still be dangerous?
There is a catch: The Board may be an evil entity capable of threatening humanity. The story remains unfinished here, and the Control setting has never been shy about turning apparently helpful forces into something far darker.
That possibility does little to diminish the appeal of the performance. Even if The Board is ultimately vile or dangerous, its voice is so distinctive that it is difficult not to enjoy every appearance. The entity can even sing, adding another bizarre layer to an already unusual soundscape.
A player’s clip about waiting in the gap until The Board begins singing has become part of that growing appreciation, as shown in this discussion of The Board’s singing.
A small detail with a huge impact
Control Resonant may be remembered for its open-world action, supernatural combat and strange environments. For now, though, The Board’s voice is the detail that stays with me. It turns a familiar authority figure into something more alien, more physical and much more entertaining to hear.
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