Control: Resonant catapults Remedy’s surreal universe into Manhattan’s inverted nightmare, swapping Jesse Faden’s telekinetic gunplay for brother Dylan’s brutal melee rampage. Seven years post-Control, the Hiss infestation warps the city into Evangelion-esque psychological horror, thrusting the original’s creepiest character center stage in Remedy’s most expansive outing yet.
Dylan’s Manhattan Melee Odyssey
Dylan Faden—Control’s unsettling prisoner—emerges from Oldest House isolation into Hiss-corrupted streets. With Jesse missing and FBC crumbling, he wields shapeshifting melee weapons: dagger combos for agility, massive hammers for crowd-crushers. Combat evokes Nier: Automata’s aerial ballets fused with DmC’s stylish aggression.
Key shifts include:
– Dodge-through-enemy weak points
– Ground-pound shockwaves
– Aerial juggle finishers
– Hiss-mutation counters
Manhattan’s “open-ended” districts blend Inception folding with brutalist surrealism—skyscrapers bleed into voids, streets loop eternally.
Evangelion’s Shadow Looms Large
Creative director Mikael Kasurinen cites Neon Genesis Evangelion as core inspiration: psychological unraveling, sibling parallels, existential mechs (reimagined as Hiss abominations). Dylan’s “alien world” discovery mirrors Shinji’s Eva sync—intimate horror amid cosmic indifference.
Siblings represent duality:
– Jesse: Ranged control, bureaucratic maze
– Dylan: Melee intimacy, urban apocalypse
Interchangeable play order reinforces independence.
Remedy Connected Universe Expansion
| Game | Protagonist | Combat Style | Scale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control (2019) | Jesse Faden | Telekinetic shooting | Oldest House |
| Control: Resonant | Dylan Faden | Shapeshift melee | Manhattan districts |
| Alan Wake 2 | Alan/Saga | Light-based shooting | Bright Falls |
| FBC: Firebreak | Firebreak team | Co-op shooting | Multi-realm |
Resonant weaves Alan Wake 2 threads—FBC’s supernatural policing escalates to urban siege.
Action-RPG Evolution
Melee pivot solves open-space shooting woes: aggressive flow eliminates cover-shuffle. RPG depth expands via:
– Weapon mutation trees
– Hiss power absorption
– Board resonance upgrades
– Neighborhood faction alliances
Exploration rewards discovery—hidden districts, lore codexes, Dylan backstory therapy sessions.
Remedy’s Ambition Risks
“Most expansive” Remedy title tests post-Control formula. Evangelion homage risks niche alienation; melee may frustrate shooter purists. 2026 PC/PS5/Xbox launch pressures multi-year dev cycle.
Success recaptures Control’s mind-bend majesty at scale. Failure echoes Quantum Break’s ambition-over-execution.
Why Resonant Resonates
Dylan’s arc subverts hero tropes: villainous brother redeems through ultraviolence. Manhattan’s corruption mirrors player psyche—Hiss whispers erode sanity. Evangelion’s mecha-madness births weaponized architecture horrors.
Remedy Connected Universe coheres: Alan’s stories birth realities Jesse/Dylan contain. Firebreak’s co-op hints multiplayer districts.
Control: Resonant weaponizes weirdness—Manhattan folds, Dylan unfolds. Remedy gambles brawler intimacy conquers cosmic scale, Evangelion dread fuels Faden finale. Hiss-choked streets await; prepare sanity for sibling showdown.
