A few weeks ago at State of Play, we shared our first gameplay footage. control resonance Works with PlayStation 5 Pro. The trailer was fast-paced and focused, but it only scratched the surface of the gameplay systems in action.

Today, I’d like to take a deeper dive into the systems behind Control Resonant, from combat flow and build craft to how progression shapes your playstyle.

Go outside the oldest house

The first Control was about being trapped and isolated in a labyrinth of shifting brutalism. At Control Resonant, we set out to turn that idea on its head.

This time, we venture into Manhattan as supernatural forces tear apart the everyday world.

The city is under escalating attacks. Architecture is distorted. Gravity fracture. Familiar streets twist and turn into unstable battlegrounds. While many civilians have been evacuated, federal authorities remain active on the ground, trying to contain the crisis across individually handcrafted zones.

Even if the situation feels overwhelming, you are not alone.

One of the new characters you meet is Zoe de Vera, an FBC field agent who acts as Dylan’s handler. Dylan spent years isolated in the Oldest House. Zoe survived the chaos outside. Their relationships, built on trust, responsibility, and learning to depend on others, underpin the emotional core of the experience.

We’re also introducing a seamless dialogue system that allows you to have conversations while exploring, keeping you immersed in the world.

A world designed for choice

Our view of Manhattan is divided into carefully designed zones, each with its own atmosphere, encounters, lore, and secrets.

We’re not interested in an open world where looking at a world map makes you nervous. Less is more. We want to fill the world with interesting and fun things, not a lot of hard things.

There are two main types of story quests.

• Dylan’s Journey – Main Campaign
• World Quest – Self-contained Narrative Story

Beyond these, you’ll find combat encounters, environmental challenges, hidden discoveries, and optional activities built into each area naturally. Maybe you’re after an altered item or two…

The goal is not to “clear” the map, but to explore it at your own will.

force-based combat

Expanding the player’s expressiveness in combat was at the heart of our design.

The action focuses more on melee attacks and supernatural synergy. At its heart is Dylan’s transformed melee weapon, the Aberrant. Along with a powerful combo ender, you can switch between different primary and secondary forms to adjust speed, range, and combat role within a single build.

But combat is not just about the shape of the weapon. It’s a matter of momentum.

In Control Resonant, aggression accelerates power.

• Recovering combat ability resources through melee attacks
• Ability to stun enemies and give them a chance of execution.
• Execution temporarily increases melee damage.

The more aggressive you are with close-range pressure, the more tools you have to maintain control. This is a loop designed to assess decisiveness and flow.

At the same time, different playstyles are fully supported. For example, you can choose a powerful melee build, or you can choose a more tactical setup with summons like Mold Turrets that attack independently and apply harmful status effects.

For players who love optimization, detailed statistical breakdowns make build performance transparent and easy to read.

Forming identity in the gap

Progress centers on meaningful specialization.

Outside of combat, players can simply press the D-pad on their DualSense controller to enter the Gap, a dreamlike space connected to Dylan’s mind. Form the build here.

The setup revolves around three core pillars.

• Supernatural combat abilities obtained by defeating powerful sympathizers
• Abnormal person’s weapon form
• Talents that amplify the synergy of abilities and melee attacks

Resonants are major boss encounters built into the progression of the story. Defeating one grants you its unique abilities, and some games offer branching choices to advance into different playstyles.

These are not the only systems in use, and not all can be unlocked in one playthrough. This is intentional.

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Further in the future

There’s so much more to share about the story, the characters, and the vast supernatural forces that are reshaping Manhattan. We will discuss these elements in more detail in the coming months.

For now, I’m happy to share how control resonance has evolved into a full-fledged action RPG. Momentum fuels strength, expertise shapes identity, and Manhattan becomes a surreal battlefield.