CONTROL Resonant Launches September 24 — Critics Score Remedy’s New Game Around 84

Remedy Entertainment is set to release CONTROL Resonant on September 24, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. A day before launch, official preloading opened on Steam for users who preordered the game, while owners of the Digital Deluxe Edition on PS5 got to start playing 48 hours early.

CONTROL Resonant is a direct sequel to 2019’s Control, but this time Remedy has noticeably changed the series’ formula. The action moves from the Oldest House to a Manhattan twisted by paranormal forces, and the protagonist is Jesse Faden’s brother, Dylan.

In the story, his former jailers at the Federal Bureau of Control send Dylan into the city during a large-scale paranatural crisis. Jesse has disappeared, Manhattan’s reality is falling apart, and the hero must simultaneously deal with a new threat and the consequences of his own past.

Remedy calls Resonant its biggest game to date.

Melee and a Transforming Weapon Instead of Gunfights

One of the biggest changes is the combat system. Where the original Control was largely built around shooting the Service Weapon, Resonant shifts the focus toward melee combat, supernatural abilities and mobility.

Dylan’s main weapon is the Aberrant, which can change shape depending on the situation. At the same time, the hero uses paranatural abilities to move, attack and interact with the twisted environment.

Manhattan, meanwhile, is not a traditional seamless open world. It is divided into large interconnected zones with side activities, secrets and optional encounters. Remedy showed off the world structure and combat system in more detail in an official gameplay demonstration.

According to the developers, the main story takes roughly 25–35 hours to complete, and full exploration will take longer.

『CONTROL Resonant』、ビジュアル最高、奇妙な謎解きを含む探索は超楽しい、肝心の近接バトルは今のとこ判断保留！全然アリなんだけど、パリィもなく駆け引きに乏しいのと、主なダメージ要因が画面外からの攻撃か乱戦になって殴られるかなので、もうちょい攻防にメリハリが欲しい感はある。 pic.twitter.com/wX13osQP6q

— ジェット・リョー (@ikazombie) September 23, 2026

Reviews Landed Almost a Week Before Launch

The review embargo lifted back on September 18. By launch, scores had settled around the mid-80s: Metacritic shows around 84, and OpenCritic sits at roughly 84–85 depending on when the aggregator last updated.

Critics most often praise the visual design, the surreal Manhattan, the atmosphere, traversal and Remedy’s signature presentation.

Opinions on the new combat system, however, are more divided. Some reviewers consider the shift to melee a success, while others point to repetitive enemies, drawn-out encounters and navigation through the large zones that isn’t always convenient.

Early Access Is Only Available on PS5

Notably, the 48-hour early access is a bonus specifically for the Digital Deluxe Edition on PlayStation 5. The PlayStation Store page states that it began on September 22.

There is no such early access on PC. Instead, Remedy opened preloading 24 hours before launch for Steam users so the game could be downloaded in advance.

The official Steam page also does not list Denuvo among the third-party DRM in use. At the same time, there is no reliable confirmation for reports of an allegedly working cracked PC version before the official release — the mere appearance of a torrent or a page on a torrent tracker does not yet confirm that the files work.

CONTROL Resonant launches September 24 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a Mac version arriving later in 2026. At launch, the game will also be available through GeForce NOW.