In 2019’s “Control,” Jesse Faden gained powerful powers when she infiltrated a strange government building in New York. The game combined handguns with telekinetic powers and received a slew of nominations and awards at that year’s gaming awards.
It has sold six million copies, which is absolutely crazy. But it has been happening for a long time, because it was not an immediate success, says Mikael Kasurinen at developer Remedy, which is behind, among other things, “Max Payne” and “Alan Wake”.
Unlike previous titles, it wasn't the main character that was essential.
It was important to me that “Control” had a different feel. It’s more about the world itself, which we can see through the eyes of different protagonists. It was built in from the beginning that it would be a longer journey than just the first game.
“Long journey”
For the sequel "Resonant" this year, the game was moved to Manhattan, and the open environments posed technical demands that the 2019 version of the Northlight game engine could not handle.
So it has been a long journey before we could enter full production, which happened towards the end of 2024.
The main character is Jesse's brother Dylan Faden, who was a supporting character in the first game. He is armed with a hammer, which changes the gameplay to a more melee-focused experience.
The laws of physics are also thrown out of play when parts of Manhattan are like a map with the edges folded up, a bit like the films “Inception” or “Doctor Strange.” With a press of a button, you can move to a wall, with the consequence that the entire screen rotates and becomes the ground instead.
Both new and old
Getting it into the game was “incredibly difficult.”
Not all surfaces, like a regular wall, have this twisted gravity. So how are players supposed to know? We had to design the whole world with that in mind, so that with the gravity anomaly it looks like a street or something like that.
Although Remedy expects many players to return, it has been important to invite new ones. Changing the main character makes it natural to start over, and “Resonant” begins with the somewhat worn-out narrative of him waking up from a long-term coma.
So he is unaware of what is happening in this world, and you get to step into it and discover it with him.
Facts: “Control Resonant”
“Control Resonant” is a third-person action title (behind-the-shoulder camera) with role-playing elements developed and published by Finnish Remedy (“Death Rally”, “Max Payne”, “Alan Wake”). “Resonant” is a sequel to 2019’s “Control”.
The player takes control of Dylan Faden and must save humanity from a supernatural threat that is changing Manhattan.
"Control Resonant" will be released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC on September 24th.
