Control Resonant’s Dylan Faden Did Nothing Wrong, Except For Everything He Did Wrong
Summary
In this episode of Aftermath Hours, hosts Gita and Luke Blunkett discuss Remedy’s latest title, Control Resonant. They analyze the game’s unique take on New York City, praising its surreal, fractal-like architecture and detailed environment design while critiquing the combat and music. The conversation highlights the protagonist Dylan Faden’s awkward charm and the seamless "Gap" mechanic, culminating in a deep dive into the emotional impact of the game’s "Sinkhole" level.
Topics discussed
Introduction and guest introductions
Personal relationships with Control and Alan Wake
Initial impressions and gameplay frustrations
Brutalist architecture and environmental design
Physics, sound design, and detail
New York City setting and open world hub
Recreating New York's visual texture
Developer insights on visiting New York
Plot overview: The Hiss and city transformation
Critique of the city's cultural depth
Subway design and Manhattan geography
Character dynamics: Dylan and the Board
The Gap, mind palace, and fast travel
Skill tree and rock sculpture progression
Dylan's competence and handler Zoe
The Sinkhole and Finnish music unlockables
Music integration and auteur theory
Dylan's character arc and player attachment
The Sinkhole level: diving bell and fractals
Scale, beauty, and the invisible monster
Game immersion vs. other art forms
The underpass and power-up reveals
Combat mechanics and build variety
Specific abilities: ground pound, push, and fire
FMV integration and David Lynch influences
Side quests and navigation frustrations
Map design and defamiliarized New York
Open world misnomer and linear dungeons
Gravity Rush-like moments and western game sins
Early access changes and special edition items
Difficulty sliders and accessibility
Hot dog lore and post-9/11 humor
Writing quality and bureaucratic chaos
Soup nights and cultural references
Aftermath branding and merch collab
New York and Australian stereotypes in media
Australian TV shows on international platforms
Remedy's engine and art direction consistency
Outro and support requests
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