Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
Dylan Faden Escapes 7 Years of F.B.C. Confinement, Battles Monsters Across Midtown Manhattan
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18

Dylan Faden Escapes 7 Years of F.B.C. Confinement, Battles Monsters Across Midtown Manhattan

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18

Summary

  • Seven years after the original game, Control Resonant follows Dylan Faden as he breaks out of F.B.C. captivity and carries an alien contagion into a warped Midtown Manhattan.
  • Dylan’s escape reframes him from villain to damaged protagonist: notes and recordings depict an orphan with supernatural abilities who was isolated, experimented on and brutalized by the bureau.
  • Combat and movement drive that shift, with Dylan leaping between skyscrapers and using a glowing scythe, giant hammer and psychic powers against mutated creatures.
  • His awkward dialogue and guilt still undercut the power fantasy, especially in missions tied to his missing sister Jesse and their troubled childhood.
  • The review casts that split between trauma and newfound freedom as the game’s core strength, giving the series a more personal perspective after the first game’s catastrophe.

Insights

How does Dylan's shift to brutal melee combat redefine the surreal, interconnected universe established in the original Control?
What hidden secrets tie Dylan's gravity-defying escape in a distorted Manhattan back to the mysterious Alan Wake universe?
Will the ambitious introduction of kaleidoscopic spaces and character-action mechanics alienate fans of Jesse's tightly structured shooter experience?