Finally hit the credits on my first playthrough in Remedy’s latest piece, released on September 24th. While not being a 100% completionist, it took me exactly 50 hours to get there. There are still some side-quest and collectibles to find, so I will most probably go back for them.
So, what’s it like?
More than the sum of its parts
Resonant is an odd one, even by Remedy’s standards. Compared to other action RPGs on the market (I am thinking of the Horizon series, Final Fantasy 16, God of War and the Witcher 3) it does not do everything 100% well — except maybe for the trademark Remedy weirdness scale where it delivers 11 out of 10 points.
And yet, it’s part of its charm. The game itself has a unique experimental and explorative nature, which makes it even more lovable. It reminds me of the original Control. It also did not solely do everything gameplay-wise correctly, yet the collectible documents, the lore, the exploration and the general setting made up for it.
Take for example the combat. Like in Control, this one offers a pretty nice selection of builds for your taste. Yet, just like Control, it also does not go deep enough. You do have some status effects this time (yaay!), but the overall playstyle remains consistent throughout the game. You smash buttons, fill up meters, use unique skills, dodge and run, panic if your health is low and feel satisfied once you have made it out alive. Does this get boring? Not at all. Is it repetitive? Absolutely. Does it make the game replayable? Anytime.
There is also the pacing. Dylan — much like the Federal Bureau of Control, the FBC itself — is running around in each zone trying to do their best to save people. Most of the time, he is in a reactive role, instead of a proactive one, which is also required by the linear story. And yet, running after some random colleagues, going after distress signals or exploring for exploration’s sake gets boring at times. I also do have to admit, that several zones made me “wow” (the Underpass), “oh my god, this is serious” (Evacuation Zone) or “the situation looks terrible” (the Park). When it comes to the personal stories tied to each of the zones, they are all throwing creative ideas around which is a great addition. There is always something, but also noting. I often had a feeling that the game was continuously extended to fit some ideas, all of which are quite good on its own, but failing as a consistent set. However, this is also a strength of this game.
The Altered Apocalypse
Running around and exploring Altered Manhattan never got old. On their journey, players encounter civilians, weird but lovable colleagues both old and new, all trying to hang onto something. The sound design and the music is perfect. It’s melancholic, otherworldly, sympathising. Talking to the Board, executing enemies, the musical sequences and the boss battle themes are all satisfying, brilliant and suiting. Resonant is a pleasure to listen to.
Except maybe for its characters. The dialogues, like the game itself, feel often “glued together”. It’s lacking some personality, some force, some momentum. Personally, I did not like the voice acting at all. Alan Wake 2 did that much better. Also, the facial animations and the modelling are uncanny. Alan Wake 2 did that much better as well. However, everyone is burnt-out at the same time so it makes sense not everyone is in top shape.
The setting is beautiful. From the tiny confined spaces to the huge open explorable city, it was a pleasure to take in the view. Not to mention the gravitational shift and grappling hook mechanic. The level design and the visual language both are a masterclass. Resonant does not give you obvious cues where you have to go. Instead, it gives you signs, plays with light and with the sound. Rarely did I feel so happy to get lost. Also figuring out how to break barriers was a fun experience. There are also a bunch of dad jokes scattered around. The setting is the most lovable since Quantum Break.
Extending the Remedy Connected Universe
Resonant’s place in the RCU feels a bit off. I wonder if I missed the Alan Wake tie-ins, because I did not complete all side-quests. I expected to see the return of Caldera Street Station, Parliament Tower and the Oceanview Motel. There was nothing. I also firmly believed Ahti, Saga Anderson, The Old Gods of Asgard and even Warlin Door or the Cult of the Word would make a reapparence as a driving force. Nothing. The absence of these fan favourites is disappointing. I really hope we would get two DLCs tying up these lose ends.
The narrative of the original Control does get extended though. In a pretty organic way even. It surpassed my expectations, deepened the lore, put events into a different perspective. Now we not only have parautilitarians but also Persons of Power. The Entities behind the otherworldly forces all have a reason to behave as they do. At one point, it is even said Manhattan just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The lack of these references makes Resonant a standalone experience for newcomers. Yet, the inclusion of these would not have changed anything. I am thinking about references like the coffee thermos in the Panopticon in the orignal; or Darling appearing in Alan Wake 2; or the aforementioned Oceanview Motel. We do get some hilarious Altered Items, paranatural criminal activity and a lot of unexpected return of “entities” from the original. These are very welcome and made me smile the whole time.
The “human mind as a metaphysical place” reappears again and becomes a core narrative driving component in the last third of the game. In the finale, the concept becomes increasingly satisfying and through the tie-ins with the Original, it made me melancholic by the time I reached the end credits. Remedy is really good at presenting the surreal, the subjective and the psychological as real, objective and measurable. This time, the conclusion makes the game earn the Control title again.
Summary
Remedy is a brand. Their games will never be able to please the mainstream and this is probably for the best. They are the leaders in presenting the surreal. At the same time I do firmly believe they should dare more. There is no shame in copying well-working mechanics from other titles if it suits the gameplay. Resonant feels oftentimes unnecessarily experimental, as if the studio got lost in their attempt to be unique.
But these are the reasons why I would suggest anyone try all of their games since Quantum Break. Remedy games have a personality and as such, they can be both annoying and lovable at the same time. And I also have to admit: no other title could ever give me the superhero feeling as Remedy games.
Resonant is simply an 11/10 on the Remedy scale.