The Control franchise was always an eccentric offering from Remedy, and has largely been a fun outing when we were snooping around The Oldest House. But Resonant has thrown open the doors of the FBC’s HQ to take us into a world where everything’s bigger and, from the looks of it, better, thanks to some great sales numbers to back up the theory.
While it’s hard to believe it’s already been more than three weeks since we joined Dylan in the franchise’s latest story, it has managed to sell one million copies as of October 15, 2026. That’s quite a milestone for Remedy, which has since pointed out that Resonant is the fastest-selling game in a history that spans thirty-one years. That’s no small achievement, and if you haven’t tried out Resonant for yourself yet, it’s possible you don’t see what the fuss is all about.
We can tell you it’s well-deserved, though, and that Manhattan’s streets are very adept at making you want to return to them anytime you get a moment to yourself. Here’s why we think so.
Pushing Boundaries
It’s probably a good idea to look at Resonant’s success through the lens of the game whose title it has just managed to take for itself. Alan Wake 2 was at 1 million sales in December 2023 and 1.3 million by February 2024. That’s about three months to get to its first million and another couple of months to get a further 300,000 copies.
Looking at that trajectory, it’s clear that Remedy’s previous heavy hitter had a reasonable number of takers, but it’s certainly among the more popular games out there. But pit that against a mere three weeks for Resonant to take its spot, and the assertion from CEO Jean-Charles Gaudechon that Remedy “always believed that Control deserved an even bigger audience”, and the milestone begins to bear more significance.
It showcases a plan to make Control more accessible and universal, giving it a sort of appeal that’s built for the long term. We’re going to revisit that a little later in this one, but for now it’s important to remember that Resonant is a title that’s aimed at bringing in new audiences even as it aims to retain existing fans of the franchise it represents.
That’s interesting enough, but the real fun is in how it goes about achieving that.
Bold Gambits
It’s probably a good idea to address the most obvious change between Resonant and its predecessor, a change of protagonist aside. Dylan’s skill set doesn’t involve guns in a new combat system that’s centered on giving you all the power you want against enemies that are going to have you getting creative in how you use it.
A melee-focused combat system is an immediate departure from the controlled chaos of Jess’s third-person shooter perspective, and it’s a welcome change for a number of reasons. Of course, Manhattan cannot be disregarded thanks to how well it serves its role as a stage that seems to evolve over the course of the game, responding to Dylan’s growing abilities with obstacles and threats that seem tailored to bringing out effort to stop the Hiss to a premature end.
Working in tandem, the combat, story, and Manhattan are pillars that prop up an experience that can be quite addictive irrespective of whether you’re a returning fan or a total newbie. As an entry point, it’s easy to pick up, although there is quite a bit of depth to its combat system once you really begin to engage with it.
The same can be said for the traversal system and the way Manhattan often feels like a world that’s testing your ability to navigate it as much as it tests your ability to deal with the many threats that stand between you and your next goal. It’s time to get into how each facet of the experience earns your attention and retains it with aplomb.
Many Paths To Progress
Dylan’s use of the Aberrant is certainly a big change, as we’ve established, but does it manage to justify its inclusion in Resonant? That’s a question we’re happy to answer with a yes, as this is a combat system that’s so wildly fun almost right off the bat.
It isn’t too long before you get access to one of three Primary and Secondary weapons in the game, and their drastically varying combat styles are an immediately enticing few hours of mixing and matching their moves until you find a combination that works. The Aberrant’s ability to weave itself into varying shapes is certainly a great addition to a game that needs Dylan to be a versatile presence on the battlefield.
We still stand by our opening choices of Strike and Extend, the dual blades and staff working well to keep us fast on our feet and able to keep our enemies at a distance from which we could strike from a position of strength. Of course, there’s something to be said in favor of using stone fists and a giant hammer to just pummel your enemies into oblivion. That both options are present and viable is a testament to a combat system that values a flexible approach and a fun one.
Having smooth animations flow into each other, and moves that encourage free-flowing combos are certainly strengths in Resonant, and the result is a combat system that makes you feel powerful almost instantly.
Dylan feels like a powerhouse, and that feeling is only exacerbated when the game pits you against any of its bosses. They’re formidable threats, yes, but that’s not because of the narrative merely framing them that way. They feel as imposing as they do on the virtue of Dylan having to work for control of the fight against them, which the game’s grunt enemies often feel ill-equipped to do once you get some momentum and a good build going.
With skill trees that are quite expansive, and the addition of finishers and more weapons in each category a little while later, Resonant is certainly addictive as far as its combat is concerned. You find yourself chasing that next upgrade just to see what it does, and whether it gives you enough reasons to work it into your combos from time to time aside from the visual reward that pulling off each move gives you by default.
But Dylan’s fancy moves are not the only reason Resonant is having its players return to it even as new ones step onto Manhattan’s streets.
A World Built To Entice and Enthrall
Our reasons for engaging with Manhattan can be summed up by a series of memorable firsts. We’re not going to forget that glowing vending machine that we had to chase down and beat up to get rewarded quite generously for the effort.
That first Fault, and the thrill of getting a new way to engage with the world and its many varied environments, was another one to remember. That both of these occurrences came at a time when something equally compelling already had our attention, and that it was pure curiosity that forced the detour, is an indicator of a world that’s good at reeling you in.
The franchise’s penchant for the unusual gets a whole new canvas to paint on, one that’s now the size of a city instead of a house where the walls seemed to limit the Hiss’s ability to get creative. Manhattan almost feels like the long-standing antagonist has also reached the pinnacle of its character arc, and the many levels that have you switching orientations, perspectives, and more are all ways in which the game can be quite spellbinding as far as its world is concerned.
Equally captivating is the way Dylan navigates it all. He runs on walls, or uses a sort of Glide to stay airborne and access areas that other FBC operatives might not be able to reach. His use of the Aberrant isn’t just tied to his fighting style; it’s woven so effectively into the way he navigates the world that it’s handled very deftly, and the result is a game in which getting around can be as fun as chasing down a new mystery and picking as many fights as you’d like on the way there.
The Beginnings Of Momentum
Dylan’s been great at giving the Control franchise stronger legs to stand on, but how far are they going to carry it? Selling a million copies as quickly as it has is no mean feat, but that has to be measured against whether it has helped the game recoup its costs, or at least come close to doing so.
Great combat, a solid world and story, and interesting ways to keep players engaged in their moment-to-moment gameplay are great things to have when you’re seeking to build a game that’s going to effectively grow your existing player base. On that front, it’s easy to see Resonant as being especially effective at that goal.
The story’s no slouch either, and while we did point out that the combat does take a while to open up in our review of the game, it remains potent enough to keep you invested in it up until that point. When you think of it as a complete package, Resonant is indeed off to a strong start, and might just help Remedy take control of a bigger audience later down the line.
As a first step, it’s given its makers a rather large one to work with. And it has done so by being an entertainer we find very easy to recommend if you’re looking for a title to get lost in.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
