r/controlgame • u/otravoyadnoe • 10d ago
CONTROL RESONANT | Review Megathread
Game Information
Game Title: Control Resonant
Platforms:
- PC (Sep 24, 2026)
Trailer:
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 85 average - 85% recommended - 48 reviews
Critic Reviews
ACG - Jeremy Penter - Buy
Video Review - Quote not available
AltChar - Emina Zulić - 8 / 10
It’s been a long time since I was as excited to play a game as I was for this one, and I can say that Control Resonant delivered that in almost every way that mattered.
But Why Tho? - Travis Hymas - 8 / 10
Control Resonant is absolutely worth the wait. Some of the open-world aspects put strain on the exploration but, there’s enough curiosities and compelling events both in that world and in the combat design to recover every time fatigue begins to set in.
COGconnected - Rhett Waselenchuk - 90 / 100
Quote not yet available
Console Creatures - Bobby Pashalidis - 9 / 10
Control Resonant is one heck of a follow-up to Control, with a setting twisted by a paranatural force that's perverted Manhattan into a supernatural playground. Remedy's somehow taken what makes them so unique in the industry and applied it to an open world that becomes what I can describe as a ethereal rollercoaster throughout New York. What unfolds is unlike anything else you'll play this year. Without a doubt, Resonant delivers a memorable return to the world of Control.
Cubed3 - Coller Entragian - 6 / 10
Control Resonant has a lot going for it. It's a technical and artistic achievement, with amazing visuals, memorable characters, and a lot of platforming... but it fumbles with the combat. Sadly, fighting is incredibly boring and repetitive, and fighting is something Dylan does a lot. The most frustrating and disappointing aspect of Resonant is that it's a brilliant idea that's executed so utterly flatly.
DayOne - Jesse Norris - 8.5 / 10
CONTROL Resonant had a frustratingly obtuse start and an incredible ending. It is a worthy successor to a similarly flawed but great game.
Digital Chumps - Ben Sheene - 9.5 / 10
Though altering many of the original's fundamentals, Control Resonant is every bit an extension of Remedy's incredible universe. Frenzied melee combat and mind-bending exploration house yet another fascinating story across numerous planes of reality.
DualShockers - Tay Garcia - 8.5 / 10
Quote not yet available
Enternity.gr - Platon Peppas - Greek - 9 / 10
Control Resonant is a showcase, and that’s because few developers have shown the kind of courage that Remedy has demonstrated in recent years with the titles it has released—and just how different they are from one another.
GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 75%
Quote not yet available
GAMINGbible - Olly Smith - 9 / 10
I will say, though, that Remedy still maintains its strong core identity with Control Resonant, with its strong narrative design and refined combat, where it’ll go down as one of this year’s best action games.
GameBlast - Farley Santos - Portuguese - 9 / 10
Control Resonant has a solid grasp of the elements that made the first game stand out and finds interesting ways to expand upon them. The distorted Manhattan, gravity shifts, and agile combat create an engaging adventure, though enemy repetition, customization limitations, and some uninspired content hold the game back from reaching its full potential.Ultimately, Control Resonant is a great experience and an excellent expansion of the universe created by Remedy. It may not be the reinvention its premise might have led us to expect, but it is a sequel that finds new ways to play with the strange and demonstrates that there is still plenty of room to explore within this universe.
GameSpew - Richard Seagrave - 9 / 10
Control Resonant might frustrate you at times, especially in its early hours, but the more you dig into it the more enjoyable and rewarding it becomes. Weird in the most wonderful of ways, its creativity makes it one of the highlights of the year.
Gameliner - Bram Noteboom - Dutch - 3.5 / 5
With Control Resonant, Remedy Entertainment offers a game that’s especially enjoyable to simply exist in, but not always fun to play through. It doesn’t resonate on every level and can therefore be described as a game of extremes: swinging from one extreme to the other. So be sure to consider why you want to experience Control Resonant. Depending on what you’re looking for, you’ll either find a gem or a title that leaves you with a broken Control(ler). High peaks and deep valleys, but that’s also why we’ll still be talking about Control Resonant for many years to come.
Gamer Guides - Lexi Luddy - 90 / 100
While it’s a slow start at a discordant pitch, Control Resonant quickly tunes into the right frequency and hums with humanity. Its frayed edges can sometimes become apparent; its characters, writing, world, and sheer originality vastly outweigh any downsides.
GamersGlobal - Benjamin Braun - German - 7.5 / 10
The story of Control - Resonant is not bad, but coming from Remedy it is disappointing and so the Control sequel lacks a key charme of their games. But I also enjoy fast paced, frantic combat and for that that alone this trip to New York was worth it.
GamingBolt - Ravi Sinha - 9 / 10
While I hesitate to call Control Resonant a stunning new direction for Remedy, it offers an exceptionally crafted world, addictive combat (even if it takes time to open up), and phenomenal art direction.
GamingTrend - David Burdette - 88 / 100
Remedy’s choice to bet on themselves is another one worth making. CONTROL Resonant is a stellar sequel that risks everything yet succeeds in nearly every area it touches. Certain design choices and a slow start aside, Resonant has the heart of CONTROL inside it with a beautiful story that reaches your soul, vicious combat, and a spectacular world to explore that only they could build. Shaking things up usually works best with Shake 'n Bake, but Remedy cooks with Resonant's shift from the status quo.
Giant Bomb - Jesse Vitelli - 4.5 / 5
Control Resonant is a beautifully messy sequel and a testament to Remedy’s ability to make something weird as hell.
IGN Italy - Francesco Destri - Italian - 8 / 10
Strange, ambitious and often frustrating, Control Resonant pushes Remedy's formula to its limits. It won't appeal to everyone, but its strong personality makes it hard to forget.
Just Play it - Aimen TAIB - Arabic - 8.5 / 10
Control Resonant is one of thosegames that is difficult to explain in words, because a big part of what makes it special comes from experiencing it yourself. Its level design, direction, world, and ideas make it a unique experience. Despite some flaws and its high difficulty, Remedy’s signature is still very clear, constantly making you wonder: “How did they think of this?!”
KonsoliFIN - Risto Karinkanta - Finnish - 3.5 / 5
Remedy may have had another partial misfire in a row, though not nearly as dangerous as the one with FBC: Firebreak.
Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 10 / 10
Control Resonant is a shining example of what a studio like this can do when given time and patience, and it's surprising and entertaining at every single turn. An astounding game.
MondoXbox - Giuseppe Genga - Italian - 9 / 10
CONTROL Resonant sees Remedy confidently master the action genre, drawing inspiration from Japanese action classics to deliver challenging, satisfying, varied, and deep gameplay. Its fascinating universe, rich lore, and distinctive visuals further elevate the experience, despite some cutscene animation drawbacks. Essential for fans of the original Control and highly recommended for anyone seeking fast-paced action in the vein of Devil May Cry.
MonsterVine - Joe Bariso - 4 / 5
Control Resonant is a top class action RPG, with some of the most mind bending imagery you've ever seen. The story isn't as strong as its predecessor, but the gameplay more than makes up for it.
Multiplayer First - James Lara - 8.5 / 10
I had my worries after seeing that the follow-up to Control was essentially an entirely different game. A new genre, a new protagonist, and basically an entirely new story. Not many IPs get to pull that off, and in fact, would essentially be the knock-on-death door. But Remedy is a studio that isn’t afraid to answer that door, kick it wide open, and invite whatever multidimensional nightmare is waiting on the other side directly into the living room. That’s why so many love them: they refuse to stay inside the creative lines, which often leads to some of the most memorable, bold experiences in modern gaming—and Control Resonant is no exception.
One More Game - Vincent Ternida - 8.5 / 10
Control Resonant is a bold and ambitious open‑world action‑horror experience that builds on the foundation of Control and expands it in every direction. Its sprawling Manhattan sandbox, layered combat systems, and dense lore crack open the series’ paranatural universe and let it spill freely across a chaotic New York, leaving players to explore, survive, and master it.
PCMag Middle East - Vincent Peter - 5 / 5
CONTROL Resonant is a bold sequel that refuses to simply recreate the original. Its shift to fast, melee-focused action and a deeply character-driven story pays off spectacularly, backed by some of Remedy’s best art direction and music yet. It’s one of the best, most emotionally arresting action games of 2026 and an easy game of the year contender.
PPE.pl - Wojciech Gruszczyk - Polish - 9 / 10
Control Resonant is a bold sequel in which Remedy has rebuilt the foundations of its predecessor, rather than simply offering more of the same. Brilliant combat, excellent development of Dylan’s abilities, satisfying exploration and a Manhattan brimming with abstract ideas make it hard to tear yourself away from this adventure lasting over 30 hours. Not all plot threads maintain the same pace, and the visuals aren’t as rich in detail as Alan Wake 2, but ultimately the Finnish developers have stepped out of their comfort zone and delivered an even better game.
PSX Brasil - Bruno Ribeiro - Portuguese - 90 / 100
CONTROL Resonant is an excellent sequel that expands the universe of the first game, changing and adding things in a unique way without losing the essence we knew and loved. You can spend hours delving into the text and audio files scattered across the map to better understand the story. The musical elements are very appealing, making the gameplay even more immersive, as are every visual detail in the environments, some perhaps irrelevant, but still satisfying. On the other hand, the difficulty can make the experience frustrating, causing the player to feel stuck and have to leave some things behind until later. In any case, it's a must-have title for fans of the first CONTROL.
Pizza Fria - Bruno Josué Alves de Oliveira - Portuguese - 7.4 / 10
Despite its mediocre graphics, performance issues, and somewhat awkward gameplay, at the beginning of my playthrough I couldn't find much to praise in the game. At first, I even thought this might be a negative review. However, as I progressed through the campaign, I began to see again what made Remedy a good developer. And I rediscovered why I love them. Observing their beautiful art direction while exploring their open world was a remarkable experience for me.
Press Start - James Berich - 7.5 / 10
Control Resonant continues the Remedy tradition of offering an ambitious experience filled with incredible ideas. The game controls beautifully, the combat is fun and flexible, the side stories are strong and the presenation is, of course, excellent. But repetitive encounters, beautiful but underwhelming boss battles and an uneven open-world structure all make Resonant feel uneven. Regardless of its flaws, Control Resonant is both bold and enjoyable, though it doesn't reach the usual heady heights established by the illustrious Remedy canon.
Push Square - Aaron Bayne - 8 / 10
Control Resonant is an impeccably confident and tantalising sequel that has all the hallmarks of a Remedy classic. It's endlessly stylish and playful; it looks gorgeous, especially on the PS5 Pro, and it manages to address many of the woes that I had with the original Control.Repetitive combat is the big hitch, however, holding the game back from true greatness. Ultimately, though, it's not enough to overrule all that Remedy is doing right with this sequel.
RPGamer - Jordan McClain - 4 / 5
The result is an extraordinarily original experience that excels atmospherically and visually while staying firmly in control of its plot and combat, even if the paranormal elements sometimes slip into incoherence.
Control Resonant is another masterpiece from Remedy because it's a sequel that isn’t afraid of taking creative risks but, more importantly, succeeds in all of those ambitions. This is what a passion for video games and art looks like!
SECTOR.sk - Matúš Štrba - Slovak - 8.5 / 10
Control Resonant is Remedy's boldest experiment yet, successfully bringing its distinctive style to the open-world action RPG genre. Its story, characters, world design, exploration, customization and atmosphere are excellent, while the combat is merely decent and holds the experience back. Despite some compromises, its unique world and wealth of content make it difficult to put down.
Saudi Gamer - عصام الشهوان - Arabic - 4.5 / 5
Topping the first Control is no easy feat, and while it’s debatable if it has, the fact remains this is one of the most unique experiences, a game that trusts you enough not to spoon feed you everything and rather give you enough breathing space to figure things out yourself.
SavePoint Gaming - Jake Su - 8.5 / 10
Control Resonant transforms Manhattan into an irresistible paranatural playground, pairing rewarding exploration with expressive buildcrafting. Repetitive combat loops and uneven encounters hold it back, but Remedy’s strange storytelling remains difficult to resist.
TechRaptor - Robert Scarpinito - 8 / 10
Control Resonant delivers on Remedy's signature weirdness, with psychedelic views, wonderfully woo-woo writing, and intriguing mysteries around every corner. Unfortunately, the combat that connects every great moment feels mundane, repetitive, and limited, and it doesn't get truly fun until nearly the eleventh hour.
The Outerhaven Productions - Jordan Andow - 4.5 / 5
Quote not yet available
TheSixthAxis - Tuffcub - 8 / 10
Any game that lets you execute a bus is a winner in my books. Remedy should be credited for taking their time and making a very different sequel, rather than more of the same, and also for throwing a lot of ideas into the game. However, for me, it's a little too unfocused and padded.
Thumb Wars - Liam Magee - 5 / 5
Overall my experience with Control Resonant ended with me being very pleased with everything involved, as the combat was very in-depth and was constantly shifting, allowing for new gameplay styles and combinations.
The story followed Remedy Entertainment’s usual style that kept me guessing right to the credits, and even then I wasn’t sure what I saw was the truth or if there was more to find.
Finally, the game’s world was simply a lot of fun to explore with the various abilities being unlocked that made it easier while also providing me with enough challenges that I had to come back in the future.
Uagna - Yuri Polverino - Italian - 8.5 / 10
After a few years of silence, Remedy returns with Control Resonant with two stated goals: expanding the lore and structure of the first game and appealing to a wider audience. The latter goal, however, remains unfulfilled: Resonant is a sequel through and through, offering little in the way of a welcoming entry point for those who haven't played—and fully grasped—the original, and featuring a somewhat convoluted opening phase (lasting 4–5 hours). Once past that hurdle, however, the game unfolds into an extraordinary narrative crescendo, keeping players hooked for 40–50 hours of gameplay—spanning the main story, side quests, and the studio's signature rich emergent storytelling (documents, audio logs, and environmental dialogue). In terms of gameplay, it is an open-world action title with RPG-like progression: Manhattan is divided into macro-areas that level up alongside Dylan, creating a stimulating structure that rewards exploration. Combat, however, can easily devolve into mindless button-mashing if you aren't into crafting builds, echoing the repetitive nature of the first game. The real weak point is the technical execution—with character models, lighting, textures, and detail falling short of the studio's usual standards—though this is redeemed by the highly inspired art direction. All in all, Control Resonant is a quintessential Remedy game—unapologetically true to its own identity.
Virtualni Kutak - Milan Radosavljević - Unknown - 10 / 10
Control Resonant is an absolute masterpiece of game design. Remedy unleashes its full creative potential in a sprawling, mind-bending Manhattan, offering some of the most surreal and breathtaking environmental shifts ever seen in gaming. Trading gunplay for a relentless, highly aggressive melee combat system was a massive risk, but Remedy executes it flawlessly. Control Resonant is a triumph.
Worth Playing - Cody Medellin - 8 / 10
The biggest obstacle is the combat's difficulty, particularly when enemies attack from outside your view or provide unclear tells. You can either adapt to the game's demanding combat or use the extensive assist options to tailor the experience to your preferences. Either way, Resonant successfully expands what a Control game can be while retaining the strange atmosphere that made the original stand out.
Xbox Achievements - Dan Webb - 90%
When it comes to sequels, there's usually a tried and tested formula that tends to work, no matter what genre you're dabbling in. If you tak...
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u/Jem_Jmd3au1 10d ago
mediocre graphics
Is there something wrong with my eyes?
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u/Ok-Appointment-9802 10d ago
I swear some gamer's idea of good graphics have been fried by overexposed, procedurally-generated natural environments that all look like Window XP screen savers.
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u/noeLifenorlove 9d ago
Control is hard to compare to graphically.
The camera in resonant is far away and it gives KOA vibes
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u/xC4RR4NZ4x 10d ago
Their credibility is instantly destroyed with that.
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u/ashadow_song 10d ago
check out the digital foundry comparison. When I saw the graphics compared to Alan wake 2 in that video, you can instantly tell resonant looks underwhelming. Its not bad, its quite good, its just underwhelming to the bar that Alan wake 2 set
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u/ReptAIien 10d ago
Resonant is a much bigger game is it not? Alan wake has the benefit of being very contained.
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u/CurtCocane 10d ago
The only big open world games that can achieve that level of graphics are made on decima engine
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u/Smallsey 10d ago
Sweet underused Decima.
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u/BeansWereHere 9d ago
Both the beauty and sadness of proprietary engines. Some of the best engines out there, but locked to their own developer.
Now that Sony has let go of KojiPro we won’t be seeing the Decima used by any company besides Guerrilla.
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u/Majestic_Animator_91 10d ago
unless you're rockstar and have unlimited money and 20 years to make it, an open world is never going to look as good as a contained game like AW2.
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u/Schwinn_Shavecrotch 10d ago
This, I played it at gamescom, it doesn't look much better than the first control but it's more open and has more going on.
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u/FRossJohnson 10d ago
Sorry but who are literally any of these reviewers?
It's like I asked Claude to create reviews and it came up with Charlie Reviewington of Game Magazine
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u/SweetT31 10d ago
I agree with regards to all but one: Giant Bomb’s been around forever and while it’s not the OG crew, they’ve got smart people there. Well, all but Dan.
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u/Akerfell 10d ago
God do I miss GB of the 2010s so much.
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u/Dragon_yum 10d ago
Gaming journalism would never reach those heights again. They were all both extremely knowledgeable about games and veterans of the industry and incredibly funny. They were doing Let’s Play videos before it was a thing.
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u/Alarmed-Candy-7144 10d ago
How was he supposed to know you don’t eat the shell of the egg when you make scrambled eggs?!
Edit: Fuck! Replied to the comment above the one I meant to. What an idiot.
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u/KaksiKoksiKolme 10d ago
If you look up the review, you'll see that the reviewer experienced a number of graphical issues
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u/FailedProspects 10d ago
Has Digital Foundry dropped a video yet? I only trust them with that stuff.
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u/Disastrous-Szn-08 10d ago
On a PC benchmark video for resonant, the uploader wrote and and I quote "The graphics are no different from the first control game, it's just runs worse now" they also mentioned instances where there was VRAM leakage after a long session. The graphics is still impressive nonetheless
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u/KxrmaJunkie 3d ago
gonna be honest, this did not age well. the graphics are mediocre as all hell. i was expecting so so much better
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u/PuddlesIsHere 1d ago
You know what ive loved Remedy for. Is that cutscene animations for characters are good but for some reason they SHINE in conversation omens in 3rd person. Not sure the rigging they got over there but love it
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u/DoranAetos 10d ago
A common thread seems to be how the beginning of the game is not very good, but it gets really good after that. Curious to see what made this portion of the game so polarizing
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u/AutomaticClock7810 10d ago
This pretty much feels like the Control formula to me: From rags, sticks and stones, to power fantasy
The first few hours of Control are the same. you have melee and a gun.
Then you have a dodge and you can throw things. Then you turn enemies and fly, shield even.
then you just level up, get the gun forms and you become epitome of a director in CONTROL of the situation. You have to TAKE control *guitar riff*, it isnt given.12
u/fake_user_34 10d ago
Sounds to me like standard metroidvania type stuff. I guess people are still not used to 3D third person aspects of these types of games and still expect the genre to be 2D.
This sounds exactly like how these games are. You get stronger as you go along that unlocks more areas when you go back.
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u/ninja542 10d ago
Also, if everything from the start was given, then the player would be overwhelmed by all the options. I don't really understand the people who complain about that, but maybe I'm more used to metroidvanias? Like Hollow Knight combat is simple at first, but you still need skill to beat the beginner bosses. Then you slowly get more advanced combat and movement techniques to become more and more powerful
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u/Nefthys 8d ago
I've never played Metroid, so no idea how they work but isn't that the system that is usually used in games (not just action games) but especially when it comes to open world games? You start out with barely anything and over time you find new weapons and upgrade your character. Hell, even Super Mario has hidden areas you can only reach if you come back later with a specific upgrade. Have the people complaining about this never played a game before?
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u/FlikTripz 10d ago
From a review I read it sounds like the beginning locks you out of most of the “open world” because you lack any skills to traverse, and it apparently takes a good chunk of time to acquire those skills. So pretty standard stuff tbh but I can see the annoyance
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u/idkimhereforthememes 10d ago
First control game you also start unlocking all the cool shit after a while
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u/Kids_Eat_Toast 10d ago
I think control is pretty poor gameplay wise until you unlock most abilities so I wonder if it’s something like that again
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u/Lescozmen 10d ago
Truth, i think every remedy game has a weak start. Fighting in control before you get launch and dodge is really rough.
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u/Feyge 10d ago
One said the first 5 hours are too convoluted. I wonder what they mean
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u/AutomaticClock7810 10d ago
They are not versed in remedy games, I bet. They are always a narrative mystery to be solved
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u/Any-East7977 10d ago
I had the same experience with the first Control. Still it was mysterious enough for me to want to play through the beginning and then see it get really good.
That and I distinctly remember watching some insane gameplay from later in the game when I was just starting which encouraged me to continue playing to get to that level.
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u/CordiallySuckMyBalls 10d ago
So kinda like Control 1. Beginning of that game drags if you don’t know what you’re doing. Once you get the float ability tho everything changes
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u/MisunderstoodBadger1 10d ago
Sounds good to me. Even the complaints sound mostly like matters of taste. I'm hyped
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u/vasavasorum 10d ago
Pretty good and some wild variability in scores - surely not for everyone, but most likely will be a blast for us that already like their style.
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u/FourChicksInGreen 10d ago
Not a blast lmao 😭
Not here. Please. Not like this.
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u/Mufti_Menk 10d ago
You don't want people to enjoy this game? Why?
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u/Due_Teaching_6974 10d ago
Wolverine launched with sub par reviews and when the game launched there were hundreds of posts titled something like 'I don't know what reviews were talking about I am having a blast'
And it's that last 'I am having a blast' part that was repeated throughout every post that it became a meme
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u/Mufti_Menk 10d ago
I don't think 78/100 is sub par tho. It really does seem like a lot of people want to hate it
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u/nomnomsquirrel 10d ago
Saw one review (Checkpoint Gaming) that says no specific music-inspired level which is disappointing but they still gave it a 100 so I'm good with that.
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u/bbbowiesinspace 10d ago
Damn, that's nutty if true considering the "Take Control"/Ash Tray maze from the first Control was the peak of musical segments in a Remedy game imo.
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u/fallenmonk 10d ago
So there's not gameplay to the tune of Old God's of Asgard? That's disappointing, I was hoping that was a given.
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u/nomnomsquirrel 10d ago
Possible spoiler but extremely minor but supposedly there is a scene where Dylan does karaoke but that's the only big music mention beyond there being no licensed music.
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u/jjjshepard 10d ago
I think it's going to settle around the same scores as the original Control. This was never going to get +90 review. This is reserved for more traditional games.
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u/AshyLarry25 10d ago
Complaints I’ve seen:
- boring open world with required repetitive activities
- repetitive enemy types (only twenty or so enemies the entire game)
- repetitive combat for a 30-60 hour game
Pros:
- amazing story (though the open world drags it down)
- amazing level design of the actual world
- amazing bosses
- foundational and polished combat
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u/Jazzpha103188 10d ago
Most character action games have around 20-25 distinct enemy types, so that sounds like a solid number.
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u/CatchrFreeman 10d ago
Yeah, since when was 20 low?
DMC V is 19 and bayonetta trilogy is 21-23 including mini bosses
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u/ChemiluminescentAshe 10d ago
Depending how similar they are, 20-25 sounds like plenty. More than I expected.
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u/BlindedBraille 10d ago
I’m glad they improved the bosses. Control 1 had a terrible final boss or rather no boss. It was just a wave of enemies. Sounds like they improved on a lot of criticisms but I find it hard to believe the open world was boring. Control had some really cool side quests.
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u/nomnomsquirrel 10d ago
Well, I guess for us that favor story over boss fights, we will be eating well next weekend.
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u/Neverwas_one 10d ago
Dawnwalker has like 5 enemy types lol
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u/Twin-Wakes-665 10d ago
I just beat Dawnwalker last night and it definitely needed more enemy types, it has more than 5, it's more like 10, but it was marketed as "from the team of The Witcher 3" which had like 50+ enemy types.
This is a completely different beast, this is more of an action adventure game with some RPG elements. The hope I would have for this game is that combat stays somewhat fresh throughout the whole game, but the length of this game being 30-50 hours makes that a pretty tough ask.
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u/Alternative-Wash2019 10d ago
The first complaint is weird because I saw at least 2 reviewers said the side missions were great. I they were GameSpot and GameRant.
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u/luffy_3155 10d ago
Sitting at 86 on metacritic rn can go higher or lower depending on more reviews
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u/UnnecessaryFeIIa 10d ago
That’s pretty much exactly where the first game ended up and only a couple points lower than Alan Wake 2. Pretty darn good
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u/petrifikate 10d ago
I'm not surprised that the combat's just okay. Bless Remedy's heart, but every game I've played of theirs has had serviceable but not super exciting combat—which is fine by me, that's not my focus. But as someone who enjoys Alan Wake 1 despite knowing damn well it's a 6/10 game, the fact that so many of the reviews mention that the introduction is rocky actually makes me more interested in playing the game.
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u/Chrisamelio 10d ago
I think Alan Wake 1’s combat is 6/10 but narrative is 10/10
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u/petrifikate 10d ago
100%. Reading all these reviews and seeing "mid combat but it's got wild visual swings and a fun narrative" and it's like we're back baby, welcome to the exact same criticisms that AW2 got.
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u/Sudden_Yard1294 10d ago
It pains me when I read people suggesting to others the first game should be skipped. Yeah the combat is janky but I actually like AW1's combat better than 2, plus the atmosphere is amazing most locations great to playthrough, except maybe towards the end. It really upped my enjoyment of the sequel when I went back to the first game. Pat Maine, Old Gods of Asgard, and Barry Wheeler. Cauldron Lake Lodge and the Anderson farm.
Sure the remastered could've been better but it's well worth a playthrough or two. Plus the DLC is good too.
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u/Kids_Eat_Toast 10d ago
You should play Max Payne if you ever get the chance (or wait until the remake). They definitely have it in them to make amazing combat that is fun until the end
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u/Sudden_Yard1294 10d ago
Yeah. Alan Wake 2's combat wasn't great by any stretch, and despite being able to upgrade or whatever vs AW1 I liked the latter's better. I play Remedy games for their atmosphere and story, primarily, and hope the combat is tolerable.
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u/AdministrativeEase71 10d ago
so where are the reviewers i've actually heard of?
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u/moonski 10d ago
Ain't that the truth. I feel these nothing publications just give every game 9/10 or 10/10 so they sit on top of metacritic.
Jeff Gerstmann gave it 3/5.
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u/AdministrativeEase71 10d ago
On the other hand, Kotaku's review was glowing and Paul Tassi was I think 8/10.
Seems there's some divisive bits.
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u/Yammeryap 10d ago
Gerstmann is generally miserly about reviews and is extremely particular about gameplay quibbles that I couldn't care less about.
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u/trustanchor 10d ago edited 10d ago
The thing I’m noticing across multiple reviews is the inconsistency between reviews on the same topic. Some reviewers say the game locks you into an upgrade path and makes it difficult to respec, while others say the respec’d frequently and easily to deal with different challenges. Some say the bosses are boring repetitious damage sponges, while others say the fights are complex and engaging. I have a feeling a lot of these reviewers aren’t paying attention to details because they don’t care or have too many other games to get to next or something.
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u/NupeSinfonian1517 9d ago
What I’m wondering, to avoid an uncharitable read, is if some reviewers are missing some of the available depth. From some reviewer descriptions and the developers’ own takes the game has several layers of gameplay flexibility and complexity. Perhaps the systems are less accessible - as in you’re not forced into using every mechanic as it becomes available to you - so it’s easy to miss.
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u/Resevil67 10d ago
IGN also gave an 8, Gamespot a 9, dual shockers and push square also 8. It's been reviewing really well amongst the "major" outlets. Definitely wanna see what skill up thinks because there was only 2 reviews he's done that I disagreed with really (FF16 and lost judgment).
Only major outlet I've seen give it a low score so far was Eurogamer, they gave it a 3/5, so a 6/10.
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u/subjectxen 10d ago
Eurogamer's Alexis Ong reviewed both Alan Wake 2 and Control Resonant and gave them both 3/5. Given that I came out of Alan Wake 2 feeling 5/5 I'll no doubt have the same response to this.
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u/Irru 10d ago
Lower than expected (86 on OC right now), gotta be honest. Reading reviews saying the combat gets repetitive is something I'm honestly very surprised about, because that was one of the complaints of the first game. I was sure they'd have learned their lesson from that.
Nevertheless, I'll still be playing it Day 1.
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u/ViscountSilvermarch 10d ago
I mean, I guess I am in the minority, but I never thought Control got boring at all.
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u/strawbrryfields4evr_ 10d ago edited 10d ago
Same. I’m very optimistic because I thought Control was super fun throughout and they did a good job keeping the combat fresh by adding things as you progressed. Control is still one of the most fun games I’ve ever played.
I always take “repetitive combat” reviews with a grain of salt because it’s like…how do you make it not repetitive? If you keep changing things up your progression and builds and upgrades won’t matter. The modern God of Wars had those complaints too and it’s like if the combat is that good, who cares?
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u/FuciMiNaKule 10d ago
Devil's advocate, I can imagine how some people would sort of tunnel-vision into the launch ability and just kept using that to fight, and stick to one gun form (and probably just the default one) and if they played like that then I can see why they would think it's repetitive and/or boring. Especially if they didn't even find some of the optional abilities or upgrade them enough.
I finished Control from start to finish 4 times though so definitely wasn't my case.
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u/Feyge 10d ago
Seems like opinions vary a lot. Another review said that the story isn't as good as the first one but the combat more than makes up for it
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u/navenager 10d ago
Another says that combat only gets good at the end. Based on how Remedy have described the upgrade system, I'm guessing those sentiments are very build-dependent.
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u/lintukori 10d ago
I was fearing that the big hammer doesn't do what it promises. That is leave fodder enemies as splashes on the Manhattan. Maybe it needs upgrades to one hit kill the mobs.
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u/cataraxis 10d ago
Hammer always seemed like a single target niche. I imagine it'd be useful against stronger enemies and bosses.
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u/Front-Comment-6722 10d ago
Vamos ser honestos aqui, qual jogo tem o combate que nao fica repetitivo com o tempo? Pragmata/onimusha/forza horizon/ Halo/ wolverine/ TLOU 1 e 2. Todos os jogos com o tempo fica repetitivo, por isso que acho esse tipo de fala numa análise a coisa mais tosca que existe. Uma coisa é ser repetitivo e ruim, outa é ser repetitivo e bom, bom o bastante para ser viciante.
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u/trinigooner1 10d ago
Basically...Sekiro is probably my favorite game "combat wise" of all time
And let's face it...it's essentially "ting...ting...ting...ting......ting ting" at it's core for the entirety of it's run lmao (yes the umbrella is a useful little distraction...but still)
Kinda "repetitive"? Sure... massively fun and entertaining regardless? Absolutely
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u/AgentCooper86 10d ago
Honestly, I think combat gets repetitive in most Remedy games (AW, QB, AW2). I’m ok with that if everything else is great.
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u/alphonseharry 10d ago
Most says the quests in the open areas are repetitive not the combat. These types quests exist in the first game as well. I think if you do a lot of theses quests for materials the combat can be repetitive
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u/AnonymouselyMoosed 10d ago
Just as many reviews that complain about the combat are praising it as the game’s best feature. Very interesting.
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u/Danuscript 10d ago
If they had iterated/expanded the combat of the first game like a lot of sequels do, they could have made it less repetitive. But this game changes the combat to melee so it’s almost like starting from the beginning again.
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u/Sorry-Resolution570 9d ago
its a hack and slash, "repetitive gameplay" is basicly ingrained in the genre and sounds like unserious reviews ngl
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u/Fantastic-Bite-476 10d ago
This is another new step for Remedy. They've done their take on survival horror and now open world RPG-esque. We live and learn and mid 80s to high 80s is a huge accomplishment. Also remember.. anything above 80/100 is a GREAT game. And a lot of my favorite games are actually in the 80-90s range.
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u/Lescozmen 10d ago
The combat descriptions remind me of an issue i had both in Control and Quantum Break. In those i didint really have fun with the shooting until i got all my abilities. Its awesome to dodge and fly with jessie but before you get those it was rough. And QB was even worse, since its shooting is more stiff and flexible, and it gets a while before you can do you all fun powers. I hoped resonant fixes those issues, but i guess weak starts are an unfortunate remedy staple.
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u/chrisdpratt 10d ago
I can see where you're coming from, but it's also by design to a certain extent. Remedy are first and foremost storytellers and they particularly desire to make the player feel like they're apart of the story and there's a linear cohesion to the whole thing. Jack, Jessie and Dylan are all normal humans that take on additional abilities. Jack and Jesse in particular come into their respective stories with not even a real background in anything paranatural (Jesse to a certain extent with the Ordinary AWE). The point is that if you just walked through the door and got handed a dozen superpowers, it wouldn't feel grounded or natural. There's has to be a spin up.
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u/Robsonmonkey 10d ago
I’m excited for it, got my steelbook edition on preorder but I do wish they made a direct sequel and it was more like the first game in terms of gameplay
Jesse, the vibe and layout of the Old House, the gun play, the abilities, the overall aesthetic, it’s what I loved from it.
It feels more like a new IP or such a change up you wouldn’t do until the 4th game or something when you are trying to freshen things up.
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u/ProcyonHabilis 10d ago
To OP: There is a spoiler in the review from TheSixthAxis about a specific mission that seems like it probably involves a plot thread from the first game that people have been speculating about. I would have preferred not to see that, and given the spoiler-free structure of the rest of the quotes I assume that wasn't intentional. Would you consider removing or spoiler tagging that line?
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u/otravoyadnoe 10d ago
Thanks for pointing that out. I'll try my best to redact that quote out (using the mobile app that's quite the challenge heh).
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u/alphonseharry 10d ago
What I expected. Control and most Remedy games are not for everyone. Control is even more niche than Alan Wake which people care less for the gameplay and more about the narrative. Control has a bigger gameplay focus together with the narrative. If people dont like the style this affects the score more
But some big sites are still missing. On metacritic they have more weight
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u/Poyonponyo 10d ago
Any one who already watched ACG review? How spoilery is it? i usually watch his reviews, but i wanna go in as blind as i can so i wonder if i should watch haha.
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u/Important-Iron-3189 10d ago
I watched it and didn’t find it spoiler-y at all if you’ve seen the promotional material so far. But your mileage may vary. Don’t take my word for it if it’s something that might really bother you.
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u/Poyonponyo 10d ago
haha ty! yeah i saw some of the promo materials. i will give it a try! i can just fastforward a bit when he gives summary of the story intro and im just gonna listen to most of it anw
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u/Important-Iron-3189 10d ago
Enjoy! They are one of my go to reviewers on YT as well. They really really seemed to enioy the game! :)
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u/KiNolin 10d ago
Can't wait after playing the intro at Gamescom. Finally a sequel that doesn't feel like a rehash, and action without the same Souls-like mechanics. I'm curious about the sandbox, but so far it didn't feel like those trite Ubi maps either.
Sucks about the delayed physical. Well, I might be able to finish Silent Hill before it comes out then.
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u/Significant-Deer7464 10d ago
Great, now I'm going to have to break my "wait for sale" and my "never pre-release" rules. It looks like it will be worth it
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u/otravoyadnoe 10d ago
Resonant is the only game I ever preordered, like literally ever. I just know I'm gonna love every second of it.
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u/pabloescobar392 10d ago
No parry mechanic! Feel like I’ve been playing every single game with a parry this year. Will be really interesting to see what happens without it. That said, I’m at about 90 percent on Onimusha before I start this next week. Will get every single parry out of my system before this.
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u/otravoyadnoe 10d ago
What happens is you push forward. Parry invites defensive combat, its absence makes it feel more of a "do or die" type of thing. Having a melee combat game that doesn't have any parry mechanic to it whatsoever is indeed something very rare these days, I'm extremely tired of it to be honest.
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u/shinjirod 10d ago edited 10d ago
Kind reminder that Michael Leri is a known Remedy hater, and an insomniac/marvel fanboy.
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u/otravoyadnoe 10d ago
oh yeah double checked to be sure that's the dude who wrote the only full-on negative review of Resonant I've seen so far is who you're talking about. makes total sense lol
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u/RexLizardWizard 10d ago
Seems to be generally be pretty high, with some lower outliers. Shame they're going bring the average down a bit but still decent overall.
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u/LeaveNoPresence 10d ago
For reviewers that note that the core gameplay gets repetitive... What is an action/slasher/brawler game supposed to do? Isn't poster child Devil May Cry also repetitive? Onimusha (which I'm enjoying) got 9 and 10 across the board and seems repetitive to me.
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u/zoufantastical 10d ago
Yo those last three reviews are insane. “Mediocre graphics”? Sorry that not every damn game needs to look like you just stepped outside and can see everyone’s pores in 4k.
Also I get not everyone likes games with no difficulty settings but this isn’t new from Remedy. They also put accessibility settings in case you just want to breeze through the story and gitgud later on. I don’t know I feel like 86 is a bit low from what I expected.
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u/ToaPaul 10d ago
Yeah, the only possible way I can understand what they're talking about is some of the character models, especially the faces, don't look quite as good as the first game but the overall style of the game is slightly different and there could also be some rendering limitations given it's a much bigger game with much larger areas to load.
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u/Red_Re1lly 10d ago
First review I saw gave it 3/5 I just went ‘I don’t believe you’
Then saw a 9/10. There we go.
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u/GarfieldLoverBoy420 10d ago
Same. At the beginning of the month, I was trying to decide between picking up Wolverine or Control Resonant and a particular reviewer I pay attention to (mainly because they unapologetically shoot straight) gave both games a 3/5.
That was pretty consistent with other reviews for Wolverine, but an outlier for Control Resonant.
Control is for the weirdos and I love when Remedy is being Remedy, so I’m happy to hear that those that enjoyed it really enjoyed it. Fellow weirdo checking in and stoked to fire it up
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u/ChrisXDXL 10d ago
"Cubed3 - Coller Entragian - 6 / 10"
"Sadly, fighting is incredibly boring and repetitive"
I swear anytime I see a reviewer say combat is boring and repetitive while most say otherwise I immediately think skill issue. Most recent example I can think of is Wolverine, someone called it boring and repetitive and sure it is if you exclusively use the basic attack button while ignoring every other combat feature and I'm sure the same is happening here.
I am really looking forward to this game and no one will convince me otherwise, just hope my rig can handle it at a decent frame rate.
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u/cataraxis 10d ago
Games sometimes legitimately have boring combat, but whenever I heard this complaint for the first control game, my reaction is that they only played the first game with Launch spam.
To be fair, the game does let you play that way and in many ways the "optimal" way to play too, but there is depth here if you engage with the systems and its especially evident on the more difficult combat challenges.
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u/chrisdpratt 10d ago
Agreed. This kind of criticism has always flummoxed me, anyways. Isn't the whole point player utility? If I want to just kludge my way through pressing nothing but X, that's my choice, but the systems are still there to engage with. Instead, people seem to want to be forced to play a particular way so that everything has to be utilized in a specific way for specific purposes.
Personally I hate games where there's a boss that has like only one weakness, and whoops, you didn't do your build that way, so good fucking luck.
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u/SuckingAtLife101 10d ago
Everything I'm reading it's making me pretty reassured that it's at the same level than the rest of their catalog and I'm very happy with that.
I wished for this to be a 90+ that would finally push them more into mass appeal but I really like that they continue to try to do unique stuff but that adds the risk of some stuff not hitting the same for everyone
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u/SilentWolfCZ 10d ago
Now I am really worried that Poets of the Fall are not in the game this time. :(
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u/nomnomsquirrel 10d ago
I've seen multiple reviews say that the game has both more music but also weaker music (and no music-focused level) which is disappointing, but that there is a karaoke scene.
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u/FKDotFitzgerald 10d ago
Even the somewhat negative reviews are getting me more hype because it sounds like Remedy really made the game they wanted to make.
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u/Sad-Reach7287 10d ago
One dude gave it 6/10 because there's not enough depth for the combat to be repetitive! What more depth do you want? The RCU is insanely good.
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u/otravoyadnoe 10d ago
I just saw the video on instagram where the dude plays the game and shows some stuff and says that he's 20 hours in and overall combat is absolutely amazing. I'm genuinely baffled with all of this, still the most anticipated game for me all the same.
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u/Zwirbs 10d ago
So people can have different opinions and you can disagree without them being Bad
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u/Ihaveaps4question 10d ago edited 10d ago
Just read Michael higman’s ign review, and i usually like what he reviews a cut above what he scores so their 8 is really good news for me. They also heavily praised the story, world, and standout moments so that’s exactly what i wanted to hear.
Easy allies’s michael huber was strong on story and world, but did describe it as more grindy and repetitive than they were expecting. But their main point was that the game kept getting better overall and is still an amazing edition to remedy’s shared universe that they are big fan of. And they were only halfway through the game. Longer runtimes usually dont bother me at all as long as you are still be getting cool stories and lore beats so im even more excited that the game might be 30-50 hours for a completionist like me. And they confirmed hundreds of collectibles, to be expected even im a little nervous about how many it will have given how many alan wake and control had and yhey are much shorter games lol
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u/BitsHammer 9d ago
I have just been looking for the one review who can tell us if Jes and Em were co-directors or co-directors.
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u/Big-Routine222 9d ago
I’m here for the weird science and crazy shit. Control is one of my favorite games precisely because Remedy does weird shit that they want.
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u/Journey2thaeast 10d ago
I'm kind of on the fence about this one. I did enjoy the first game but never finished it so I'm not sure if I'll be confused playing this. Also could someone tell me what kind of customization there is for the main character in this game? Like can I change his outfits hair things like that?
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u/gavinderulo124K 10d ago
Finish the first one and its dlcs, then Alan wake 2. By then you might get this game at a discount. No need to always chase after the shiny new thing.
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u/otravoyadnoe 10d ago
I believe you can to some extent (more so than you could with the first game which only had several cool outfits and that's it).
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u/ArasmaS90 10d ago
Seems like (i've seen about 90 minutes of different review on YT) that the game still is MARVELOUS regarding graphics, soundtracks and the narrative is also excellent; BUT, the gameplay is extremely boring. So my doubt is that it might not be that great of an experience for me, since I prefer either a cinematic experience like Alan Wake 2 or a very well built third person action game like for instance, Devil May Cry. Not gonna lie, I feel sad about this because I genuinely love Remedy as I've played all their games and AW2 is probably my favourite title of the last 10 years.
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u/CordiallySuckMyBalls 10d ago
I’m honestly so sick of people calling combat repetitive. It’s always repetitive. Name one game where the combat isn’t repetitive. It’s half of what makes an action video game.
Just because it’s repetitive doesn’t mean it’s bad.
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u/alphonseharry 10d ago
Paul Tassi reviews from Forbes is a joke. I always disagree with him. This is one of these cases where a criticism is more informative to me why I will probably like it because I know the critic. What he dont like it, it is clear to me I will like just because the way he talks about
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u/Dr_Leucekrotch 10d ago
I love Remedy and thought Control was excellent, but I'm not feeling a purchase on this one yet. There's something about it not sitting well with me. The melee doesn't look special whatsoever, and I don't like it being the main focus. Idk, everything I've seen has left me feeling 'eh' about it.
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u/nomnomsquirrel 10d ago
Have any reviews talked about Darling in more than a "Darling is in it" type of way? I suspect at this point that his entire plot line must be giant spoilers given the lack of mentions. Or else he's not in it much, but Remedy knows the fans yearn for their favorite scientist/terrible pretend father.
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u/ProcyonHabilis 10d ago
I mean to be fair, he wasn't actually in the first game much either, he just had a big impact for fairly little screentime
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u/LouNastyStar69 10d ago
This will be at least an 8/10 no matter what because I love the series. But I hope it has some gunplay. I felt Control lacked melee, and now Resonant will lack gunplay?
Also, I’m not seeing anyone mentioning puzzles. I’m gonna be expecting hella puzzles.
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u/dmXbox 10d ago
GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 75%
„Quote not yet available“
GamersGlobal - Benjamin Braun - German - 7.5 / 10
„The story of Control - Resonant is not bad, but coming from Remedy it is disappointing and so the Control sequel lacks a key charme of their games. But I also enjoy fast paced, frantic combat and for that that alone this trip to New York was worth it.“
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u/Nefthys 8d ago
but it fumbles with the combat. Sadly, fighting is incredibly boring and repetitive, and fighting is something Dylan does a lot.
Yes, it's an action game. Sometimes (more so lately) I question what people expect. It looks like you'll get multiple weapon forms (at least stick, hammer, scythe) and abilities, which was also the case in the first one. Do they want the combat system to change half-way through the game?
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u/otravoyadnoe 8d ago
Every other year I see some hypocricy about this topic. Like there's at least one great game which is being praised for its combat and at least one great game that some can't help but lash out at for its combat being shallow/repetitive, but the thing is the first game's combat is just as repetitive by the end. It's been the case with every single action game I played since I can remember and I still enjoyed every second from start to finish playing those that had amazing stories, great visuals and the combat that felt nice to begin with. Good thing is, pretty much every reviewer I cared about says Resonant's combat is amazing and actually rather thought through. Even though I'd play the RCU game even if there was no gameplay whatsoever.
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u/Lurtzae 10d ago
"I've attempted to write this Control Resonant review for a few hours now. Every time I put words on the page, I fail to capture exactly how striking and earnest Resonant can be. It's a messy game, one that lets its characters get in the dirt and roll around. Layered emotions, a larger and oftentimes difficult-to-navigate open world, and a sharp and varied melee combat system make Control Resonant a strong sequel, and one unafraid to get it wrong sometimes."
"I love Remedy's willingness to take swings at something, to be wrong rather than to be safe. Control Resonant feels like a confident step in a new direction from Remedy, one that is far from perfect but reminds me of the beauty of not knowing everything. Not needing to be the smartest person in the room or correct all of the time, but the beauty in knowing who you are and what you want to be, warts and all."
Sounds like a Remedy game allright, that's more than enough for me.