Remedy Senior Level Designer Arhi Makkonen Discusses Designing Paranormal New York for Control Resonant

Designing the world of Control Resonant required Remedy Entertainment to twist New York City into a paranatural landscape while retaining the recognizable feel of Manhattan. Senior Level Designer Arhi Makkonen discussed these environmental challenges at Gamescom 2026, noting that the team used Manhattan as a baseline before layering on supernatural elements like mold and hissified environments.

Unlike the first Control, which took place inside the contained and brutalist Oldest House, Control Resonant tackles the real New York being subsumed by the supernatural. Makkonen explained that the grid system of Manhattan acted as a structural restriction that required careful navigation work to keep spaces interesting and readable for players. The development team utilized open-ended hubs connected by linear paths, relying heavily on handcrafted routes and lighting artists to guide players through the warped streets.

Traversal presented another major hurdle due to the aerial abilities of playable character Dylan. With abilities allowing players to fly, dash, and traverse rooftops, the design team had to work closely with the narrative team on pacing and locales to prevent players from going out of bounds. Makkonen noted that early development felt impossible due to technical problems involving motion sickness, navigation, and space comprehension, but close collaboration using Remedy's in-house Northlight engine helped the team resolve these issues.