How to Use This Walkthrough
This Control Resonant walkthrough helps you avoid the game’s biggest progression trap: treating its open mission structure like a completely free-form campaign. You can choose between several objectives, but certain boss fights, traversal powers, and story gates must be cleared before the route opens again.
You play as Dylan Faden, seven years after the Oldest House lost containment. Manhattan is being reshaped by an Altered World Event while the Hiss returns, Jesse Faden disappears, and Dylan searches for both his sister and a way to redeem himself.
The main story is divided into connected questlines rather than one uninterrupted sequence. “Contain the Crisis” is the central campaign, “Search for Jesse” provides mandatory traversal upgrades, and Resonant hunts unlock progression while rewarding major victories.
| Questline | Main purpose | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Contain the Crisis | Advances the core Manhattan story | Leads through the campaign’s major chapters and ending |
| Search for Jesse | Sends Dylan into Dimensional Faults | Unlocks movement abilities required for later progression |
| Defeating Resonants | Tracks zone-based boss encounters | Some fights are mandatory gates and each awards a trophy or achievement |
| Side Stories | Optional character and exploration missions | Good sources of Talent Points, upgrades, and useful detours |
Do not worry if your journal shows several active main objectives. That is intentional. When markers vanish or an objective feels impossible, the answer is usually to complete another active main mission, visit a Dimensional Fault, or defeat a Resonant in a different zone.
Recommended Main Story Order
The smoothest route moves from Downtown into Central, then the Evacuation Zone, West Incursion Zone, Underpass, and finally The Unknown. The Park is worth exploring, but its Resonant is optional for the main ending.
Start with the introductory missions to learn Dylan’s combat and movement tools. Afterward, use Central as your early upgrade hub. The Central Resonant is an especially valuable early target because its reward makes later encounters in the Park easier to manage.
| Order | Mission | Zone | Key outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orientation | Downtown | Escape the Oldest House, meet Zoe, and defeat The Artist |
| 2 | Welcome to Manhattan | Downtown | Establishes the early Manhattan route and Central access |
| 3 | The Central Resonant | Central | Defeat The Deserter and gain an important new ability |
| 4 | Evacuation Procedures | Evacuation Zone | Rescue Arish and unlock the next story phase |
| 5 | Arish’s Briefing | Central | Opens the Plan of Attack objectives |
| 6 | Power Lines | Central and surrounding stations | Restores routes and progresses the campaign |
| 7 | Into the Sinkhole | Evacuation Zone | Completes the Plan of Attack sequence |
| 8 | The Incursion Fault | West Incursion Zone | Advances Jesse’s story and supplies traversal progress |
| 9 | The West Incursion Zone Resonant | West Incursion Zone | Defeat The Dancer |
| 10 | Recursions and Iterations | Underpass | Begins a late-game mission chain with a required detour |
| 11 | The House in Distress | Underpass | Requires the Underpass Fault if it is unfinished |
| 12 | The Hedron Link through The Beginning | Late-game zones | Finishes the main campaign and epilogue |
The opening of Orientation is linear. Leave the Oldest House, meet Zoe at the hotel, investigate the alley, follow the trail toward Jesse, complete the ritual sequence, and defeat The Artist. Treat this chapter as a tutorial, but begin checking your loadout as soon as the game lets you.
Welcome to Manhattan expands the route considerably. You will help with mapping pylons, repair power access, deliver charge to the Central checkpoint, clear threats, reconnect with Zoe at the Watchtower, and secure a keycard. Take time to learn fast travel and map behavior here; later objectives frequently ask you to crisscross zones.
After Welcome to Manhattan, prioritize The Central Resonant before spending much time in The Park. The fight takes place around the Patterning Factory. Follow the heat and scorch-mark trail, destroy the three heat tumors, enter the furnace area, and defeat The Deserter.
Required Jesse and Resonant Progression
Search for Jesse is not optional story flavor. Its Dimensional Fault missions grant traversal powers, including wall-running and grappling-point movement, that are needed to reach later objectives.
Two Faults appear naturally during other story content: one during Orientation and another during The House in Distress. Three have dedicated Jesse Sightings missions. If the campaign appears blocked, compare your active objectives with the table below before assuming you missed an item.
| Fault mission | Location | When to prioritize it | Progression role |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Incursion Fault | West Incursion Zone | Before fighting the West Resonant | Required to unlock that boss path |
| The Subway Fault | Evacuation Zone | Before or during Recursions and Iterations | Required detour if not already completed |
| The Underpass Fault | Underpass | Before or during The House in Distress | Required detour for late-story access |
| Orientation Fault | Orientation | Completed on the main path | Introduces Fault-related progression |
| House in Distress Fault | Late-game story route | Completed on the main path | Continues the required Jesse route |
The Incursion Fault begins after you push into the West Incursion Zone. Investigate Jesse’s vision, obtain the Parking Garage key, climb to the roof, descend through the garage, enter the Fault, speak with Jesse, and assist with the ritual. Finish it before returning to the West Zone Resonant.
The West Resonant encounter culminates in a fight with The Dancer. Once it falls, the Resonant Cycle occurs: defeated enemies return throughout the world and become stronger. This is a major cue to pause your main story push and improve Dylan’s build.
Other Resonants include Central, Underpass, Park, and The Unknown. The Evacuation Zone does not have its own Resonant fight. The Park Resonant is optional, but Central, West Incursion, Underpass, and The Unknown all fit naturally into campaign progression.
Preparation, Combat, and Upgrade Breaks
Control Resonant has no separate difficulty modes, so preparation matters more than choosing a preset. The game expects you to use Talent Points, weapon-form upgrades, Health Upgrade Points, and Power Upgrade Points instead of relying only on reflexes.
Dylan uses close-range, melee-focused combat. Keep moving, use the environment to create space, and do not enter a boss arena with a neglected build. Check Power Level in the Loadout menu under Stats and Effects whenever a new zone begins to feel punishing.
Use this routine between major missions:
- Spend Talent Points before challenging a new Resonant.
- Upgrade the weapon forms you actually use instead of spreading materials across every option.
- Collect Health and Power Upgrade Points while revisiting familiar zones.
- Complete short side stories when you need easier experience or zone progression.
- Revisit fast-travel doors after unlocking a new traversal ability.
- Clear optional encounters after a Resonant Cycle to test your improved build safely.
| Best break point | What to do | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| After The Dancer | Gather upgrade points and improve weapon forms | Enemies revive stronger after the Resonant Cycle |
| Before Into the Sinkhole | Increase Power Level and prepare for extended Hiss fights | The mission includes a long combat stretch and new enemy pressure |
| After Into the Sinkhole | Upgrade again and complete easy side stories | The later route demands more damage, health, and mobility |
| Before Recursions and Iterations | Finish Subway Fault progress | A required detour can otherwise interrupt the mission |
| Before The House in Distress | Finish Underpass Fault progress | Prevents another late-story progression stop |
Into the Sinkhole is a particularly demanding checkpoint. Escort the probe relays, remove hostile Hiss, install the relays, escape, and follow the music afterward. Do not rush into it immediately after Power Lines if your loadout is behind.
Side Stories are useful training grounds rather than filler. Panopticon Service Request is a good lower-pressure option when you want Talent Points. Pope’s Research becomes especially important later because it is required to travel through The Unknown zone on the way to Sever the Hedron Links.
FAQ
Is Control Resonant linear?
No. The campaign has a mostly guided structure, but several main quests can be tackled in different orders. The intended route still has progression gates, especially around Jesse Sightings missions and Resonant bosses.
What is the best Control Resonant walkthrough order?
A reliable order is Orientation, Welcome to Manhattan, The Central Resonant, Evacuation Procedures, Arish’s Briefing, Power Lines, Into the Sinkhole, West Incursion and The Incursion Fault, then the Underpass and late-game missions.
Do I need to complete Search for Jesse missions?
Yes. The Dimensional Fault missions provide traversal abilities needed to advance the main story. Complete The Incursion Fault before the West Resonant, then finish the Subway and Underpass Faults before their respective late-game gates.
Are all Resonants required?
No. The Park Resonant is optional, while several others are tied to story progression. Defeating Resonants also triggers the Resonant Cycle, reviving enemies at greater strength.
Does Control Resonant have difficulty settings?
No. The game begins without selectable difficulty modes. Make encounters easier by upgrading weapon forms, earning Talent Points, raising Power Level, and collecting health and power upgrades.