Control Resonant: Questions from the SGF Trailer

Out of all of the games coming out this year, Control Resonant is easily my most anticipated game. I am easily driving folks on Phenixx Gaming’s staff crazy with my eager excitement and “nerding out” about Remedy’s upcoming sequel. Summer Game Fest’s trailer left me with a few major questions, though, and I wanted to talk about them here.

The trailer begins with “Seven years have passed,” spoken by Emily Pope, the new “Co-Director” of the Federal Bureau of Control. We know that Jesse Faden, Dylan’s sister and the current Director, is missing. We know that just like real time, while it has been seven years since Control came out, it has also been seven years between the two stories in-world. So, what happened in that middle area? We only know brief snippets from Alan Wake II’s DLC, a very brief moment that showed Dylan speaking with the character you play in the DLC.

“The Oldest House has fallen” is another phrase used in the trailer. How is that possible? What has happened to the Board? Does The Oldest House still exist? Will we still venture into it? There are flashes in the trailer of brutalist structures similar to what we explored in the Oldest House, but is that a different realm?

Furthermore, The Oldest House stood in various forms for centuries. How has it fallen now? We know that Jesse fled in some form because of what was coming (from another trailer), so has The Oldest House done something similar to protect itself?

Even more curious is the fact that we know both Emily Pope and Casper Darling are still somewhat present in Control Resonant. Emily is alive, and Casper… well, he must be in some form, right? So, what about the other characters that helped Jesse in the first game? We know Jesse herself also lives in some form, since she helps Dylan in one of the trailers.

We also know that events from Alan Wake II’s Lake House expansion take place prior to the cataclysm in Manhattan. So, we know that to some degree, Alan Wake II takes place prior to Control Resonant. Does that mean FBC Agent Estevez is still alive? Considering she was warned by Dylan Faden about the upcoming cataclysm in the first place?

Of course, there is always the possibility that we see characters such as Saga or Estevez pop up in Control Resonant DLC, assuming they return at all. New Game Plus from Alan Wake II closes (to some degree) Alan’s story, so while the threads of Saga and Estevez still linger, whether they are relevant is up in the air.

Another missing link is Ahti, the “Janitor” from Control. He went on “vacation” at the end of the first game, and his otherworldly abilities could be helpful for Dylan Faden during Control Resonant. Will we see him? That is probably up to how connected Control Resonant is to The Oldest House itself.

All of this is to say that I am very excited for Control Resonant. The action looks wild and involved, but the story itself is what has me hooked. What bits of lore or elements of Control Resonant have you interested? Let us know in the comments.