Control Resonant Stumbles Hard Over Its Own Lore Overload
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Polygon critic Giovanni Colantonio argues that Control Resonant relies too heavily on excessive text and audio logs, which hurts the pacing of an otherwise stellar action sequel.
Remedy Entertainment built a massive following with the 2019 paranatural shooter Control, largely thanks to its iconic Brutalist setting and clever use of blacked out paperwork. In Polygon's recent analysis, critic Giovanni Colantonio points out that the sequel, Control Resonant, takes this worldbuilding philosophy a bit too far on the Hiss-infected streets of Manhattan. While the actual writing remains top-tier and narratively justified, the sheer volume of text and audio logs creates a serious pacing bottleneck in a game designed around fast movement.
The core issue stems from how these logs are distributed and consumed during active play. Mid-game areas are packed with so many documents and overlapping audio files that players are constantly forced to stop moving or dive back into menus just to catch up on the narrative. This heavy reliance on a tell-don't-show approach contrasts sharply with the original game. Control justified its endless office paperwork by taking place inside a bureaucratic government agency, whereas Resonant focuses more intimately on a sibling story between Jesse and Dylan.
This trend of flooding action games with optional reading material is hardly unique to Remedy. Modern releases across console and PC frequently lean on scattered text logs that grind high-octane gameplay to a sudden halt. While worldbuilding is essential for sinking deep into a virtual ecosystem, smart environmental storytelling often delivers a more memorable punch without needing to spell every detail out for the player on a static screen.
Tags: Control Resonant, Remedy Entertainment, Polygon, Action Games, Gaming News
Original article: Polygon