If you need a refresher, this is a truly unsettling co-op horror experience that we previously believed would have you and up to three other players working together to guide rejected dolls out of a hellish factory whose occupants are hell-bent on preventing your escape.

Well, that number has now gone up to eight, while new threats lurk in the shadows even as familiar ones from the open beta wait to challenge you again. New Critters are also a part of the game’s welcome additions, with some available off the bat and others unlocking as you progress. New cosmetics and useful items like the Sketch-A-Map also make their way to the game, offering more ways to enjoy wracking your nerves. Oh, and we’ve also got a glimpse of that roadmap that was promised. We’ve included it alongside the launch trailer in case you want to join in on the fun as early as you can.

Of course, his conversation with Polygon went on to elaborate on there being enough depth to the many experiences the studio is aiming to bring to the table, all of which are rooted in the eras they’re set in, which should feel eccentric enough.

“When we began researching the eras we wanted to depict in this title, we found that the world of several decades, or even a century, ago already felt striking and unusual. The differences in values and common sense from that time are, in themselves, surprising and fascinating. So rather than deliberately creating situations solely for laughs, we felt that simply allowing players to encounter the social norms and values of the era could be an incredibly surprising experience.”

That makes sense when you think about the game’s opening act sees Makoto stow away on a ship with a smuggler played by none other than Snoop Dogg before facing prejudice in Japan. We’re hoping to see more of those moments in a game whose cast is as intriguing as its premise. It’s nearing its January 15th, 2027 release on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, so we won’t have to wait long to find out.

Rain and Lasswell’s valiant fight against Umbra and the Sworn Six is a battle for the ages, thanks to the Visions system bringing so many of the series’ noble heroes to your aid. It’s a major part of why this one has been a pleasure to review, and the trailer below is proof of its potency as a title that could have you obsessing over it when you’re not actively under its spell.

There’s a free demo that lets you play up until the end of the game’s first chapter in case you’d like to try it before you pick up a copy. Of course, your progress carries over to the full game if you decide to see the story through to the end. In the meantime, check out one of the hidden bosses Final Fantasy 7 fans will recognise, especially with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation out next April.

AdHoc Studio has dropped a couple of welcome announcements to celebrate the milestone, starting with iOS and Android ports on December 9. Pre-registrations open soon, with the first four episodes free to all and the rest locked behind a $19.99 purchase.

But that’s not all, as Deluxe Edition have something to cheer about. A new update adds over 16 hours of cast and crew commentary in a new Commentary Mode, so you can hear what the likes of Laura Bailey, Aaron Paul, and many others thought about their time on set.

There’s also a new Storyboard Mode that lets you experience the game in its original “storyboard animatics”, which is a novel way to encourage another playthrough. For our part, we probably would have just agreed to one even without the new stuff.

That’s a testament to the lasting appeal of a game that left quite the impression on us when we reviewed it. The trailers below should highlight why.

While it’s hard to believe it’s already been more than three weeks since we joined Dylan in the franchise’s latest story, it has managed to sell one million copies as of October 15, 2026. That’s quite a milestone for Remedy, which has since pointed out that Resonant is the fastest-selling game in a history that spans thirty-one years. That’s no small achievement, and if you haven’t tried out Resonant for yourself yet, it’s possible you don’t see what the fuss is all about.

We can tell you it’s well-deserved, though, and that Manhattan’s streets are very adept at making you want to return to them anytime you get a moment to yourself. Here’s why we think so.

Pushing Boundaries

It’s probably a good idea to look at Resonant’s success through the lens of the game whose title it has just managed to take for itself. Alan Wake 2 was at 1 million sales in December 2023 and 1.3 million by February 2024. That’s about three months to get to its first million and another couple of months to get a further 300,000 copies.

Looking at that trajectory, it’s clear that Remedy’s previous heavy hitter had a reasonable number of takers, but it’s certainly among the more popular games out there. But pit that against a mere three weeks for Resonant to take its spot, and the assertion from CEO Jean-Charles Gaudechon that Remedy “always believed that Control deserved an even bigger audience”, and the milestone begins to bear more significance.

It showcases a plan to make Control more accessible and universal, giving it a sort of appeal that’s built for the long term. We’re going to revisit that a little later in this one, but for now it’s important to remember that Resonant is a title that’s aimed at bringing in new audiences even as it aims to retain existing fans of the franchise it represents.

That’s interesting enough, but the real fun is in how it goes about achieving that.

Bold Gambits

It’s probably a good idea to address the most obvious change between Resonant and its predecessor, a change of protagonist aside. Dylan’s skill set doesn’t involve guns in a new combat system that’s centered on giving you all the power you want against enemies that are going to have you getting creative in how you use it.

A melee-focused combat system is an immediate departure from the controlled chaos of Jess’s third-person shooter perspective, and it’s a welcome change for a number of reasons. Of course, Manhattan cannot be disregarded thanks to how well it serves its role as a stage that seems to evolve over the course of the game, responding to Dylan’s growing abilities with obstacles and threats that seem tailored to bringing out effort to stop the Hiss to a premature end.

Working in tandem, the combat, story, and Manhattan are pillars that prop up an experience that can be quite addictive irrespective of whether you’re a returning fan or a total newbie. As an entry point, it’s easy to pick up, although there is quite a bit of depth to its combat system once you really begin to engage with it.

The same can be said for the traversal system and the way Manhattan often feels like a world that’s testing your ability to navigate it as much as it tests your ability to deal with the many threats that stand between you and your next goal. It’s time to get into how each facet of the experience earns your attention and retains it with aplomb.

Many Paths To Progress

Dylan’s use of the Aberrant is certainly a big change, as we’ve established, but does it manage to justify its inclusion in Resonant? That’s a question we’re happy to answer with a yes, as this is a combat system that’s so wildly fun almost right off the bat.

It isn’t too long before you get access to one of three Primary and Secondary weapons in the game, and their drastically varying combat styles are an immediately enticing few hours of mixing and matching their moves until you find a combination that works. The Aberrant’s ability to weave itself into varying shapes is certainly a great addition to a game that needs Dylan to be a versatile presence on the battlefield.

We still stand by our opening choices of Strike and Extend, the dual blades and staff working well to keep us fast on our feet and able to keep our enemies at a distance from which we could strike from a position of strength. Of course, there’s something to be said in favor of using stone fists and a giant hammer to just pummel your enemies into oblivion. That both options are present and viable is a testament to a combat system that values a flexible approach and a fun one.

Having smooth animations flow into each other, and moves that encourage free-flowing combos are certainly strengths in Resonant, and the result is a combat system that makes you feel powerful almost instantly.

Dylan feels like a powerhouse, and that feeling is only exacerbated when the game pits you against any of its bosses. They’re formidable threats, yes, but that’s not because of the narrative merely framing them that way. They feel as imposing as they do on the virtue of Dylan having to work for control of the fight against them, which the game’s grunt enemies often feel ill-equipped to do once you get some momentum and a good build going.

With skill trees that are quite expansive, and the addition of finishers and more weapons in each category a little while later, Resonant is certainly addictive as far as its combat is concerned. You find yourself chasing that next upgrade just to see what it does, and whether it gives you enough reasons to work it into your combos from time to time aside from the visual reward that pulling off each move gives you by default.

But Dylan’s fancy moves are not the only reason Resonant is having its players return to it even as new ones step onto Manhattan’s streets.

A World Built To Entice and Enthrall

Our reasons for engaging with Manhattan can be summed up by a series of memorable firsts. We’re not going to forget that glowing vending machine that we had to chase down and beat up to get rewarded quite generously for the effort.

That first Fault, and the thrill of getting a new way to engage with the world and its many varied environments, was another one to remember. That both of these occurrences came at a time when something equally compelling already had our attention, and that it was pure curiosity that forced the detour, is an indicator of a world that’s good at reeling you in.

The franchise’s penchant for the unusual gets a whole new canvas to paint on, one that’s now the size of a city instead of a house where the walls seemed to limit the Hiss’s ability to get creative. Manhattan almost feels like the long-standing antagonist has also reached the pinnacle of its character arc, and the many levels that have you switching orientations, perspectives, and more are all ways in which the game can be quite spellbinding as far as its world is concerned.

Equally captivating is the way Dylan navigates it all. He runs on walls, or uses a sort of Glide to stay airborne and access areas that other FBC operatives might not be able to reach. His use of the Aberrant isn’t just tied to his fighting style; it’s woven so effectively into the way he navigates the world that it’s handled very deftly, and the result is a game in which getting around can be as fun as chasing down a new mystery and picking as many fights as you’d like on the way there.

The Beginnings Of Momentum

Dylan’s been great at giving the Control franchise stronger legs to stand on, but how far are they going to carry it? Selling a million copies as quickly as it has is no mean feat, but that has to be measured against whether it has helped the game recoup its costs, or at least come close to doing so.

Great combat, a solid world and story, and interesting ways to keep players engaged in their moment-to-moment gameplay are great things to have when you’re seeking to build a game that’s going to effectively grow your existing player base. On that front, it’s easy to see Resonant as being especially effective at that goal.

The story’s no slouch either, and while we did point out that the combat does take a while to open up in our review of the game, it remains potent enough to keep you invested in it up until that point. When you think of it as a complete package, Resonant is indeed off to a strong start, and might just help Remedy take control of a bigger audience later down the line.

As a first step, it’s given its makers a rather large one to work with. And it has done so by being an entertainer we find very easy to recommend if you’re looking for a title to get lost in.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

However, while mentioning that the company is more likely to sell these IPs off to bolster its revenue and financing, Darrah has also noted that EA is likely going to do it over a longer time frame. The fact that the company is currently in “cost control mode” rather than “revenue-generation mode” means that the company is far more likely to focus inwards to see what it can cut.

“Remember, BioWare is 100% owned by EA. EA owns all the IPs. They own Dragon Age, they own Mass Effect, they own Jade Empire. That doesn’t change the situation, really, at all. …Now, there’s nobody working on a [BioWare] game, or games, within the EA organization, and chances are there never will be, which might make them more likely to sell off those IPs. But it might also make them more likely to just try to forget that they ever existed and bury them in the vault.

“I think we still are gonna have to wait a little bit before we see if EA has any interest in selling off some of its dormant IPs. Right now, they seem to be in cost control mode. They might start in a revenue-generation mode where selling IPs might be more desirable.”

As for why EA might be likely to sell these IPs off, the company was fully acquired by an investment consortium made up of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake, and as a result of the $55 billion deal, the company had to take on a massive amount of debt. The first order of business for EA is likely going to be to figure out what it can cut to ensure that it doesn’t drown in the interest rates on its debt.

Once things have stabilized at the company, EA will likely explore further revenue growth by taking a long look at the several IPs it currently owns that are now dormant. Along with BioWare’s IPs like Dragon Age and even Jade Empire, the company has also acquired several other franchises over the last few decades, such as Command and Conquer and Dungeon Keeper. Unless EA has concrete plans to make use of these IPs in some way, selling could be a viable option.

However, the company might hang on to Mass Effect for longer, and rather than selling it off, EA might take a cue from Konami and license it out to external development teams. This is due to recent reports indicating that BioWare’s closure has had no effect on plans to produce a TV adaptation of the sci-fi RPG franchise. While no details about this adaptation have been revealed, work on it is still reportedly continuing at Amazon MGM Studios.

As a result, the PS5 topped unit and dollar sales for video game hardware last month. It also contributed to a 12 percent increase in overall spending year-over-year at $362 million, though total hardware sales dropped 3 percent. Year-to-date spending is still 9 percent behind 2025.

The news is less sunshine and rainbows for Xbox. While year-on-year spending on the Series X/S dropped 2 percent, unit sales fell a staggering 27 percent. The total Xbox “ecosystem” has also fallen to a new all-time September low, according to Circana’s Mat Piscatella, beating last year’s record.

As for the Nintendo Switch 2, it hung in there, with spending down 12 percent and unit sales down 14 percent year-on-year. You’d have to think it will see a much bigger boost in October and November with the upcoming launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, but time will tell.

Among those laid off is the now-former senior creative director of The Sims 4 developer Maxis, Anna Huerta, who took to LinkedIn to confirm that she was among those let go from the company.

“After some incredible accomplishments at EA, my role as Senior Creative Director of The Sims was impacted by today’s restructuring. I’m incredibly sad that I won’t get to continue working alongside such talented people on projects we care so deeply about, but I’m looking forward to whatever comes next. I love making games, but what I value most is working with people who share a passion for creativity, collaboration, and building a strong studio culture.”

While it would have been easy to assume that Motive Studios would be relatively safe since the team is working on Marvel’s Iron Man as well as providing support for Battlefield 6, it appears that among those affected, layoffs from the studio include concept artist Brandon Le and senior gameplay designer Jamieson Shearar, both of whom took to LinkedIn to confirm this.

Ripple Effect has been hit by layoffs as well, with multiple of its now-former employees taking to LinkedIn to announce that their roles had been cut. This includes character artist Corey Thomas, outsourcing artist Brandon Garcia, and technical artist Turner Spring. The team was hit by these cuts while it was in the midst of offering ongoing support for Battlefield 6 and was even working on a “new experience” for the shooter.

Similarly, Respawn Entertainment – the studio behind Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series – has also been hit, losing employees like UX project manager Randall Wong and operations product manager Catheryn Grant.

The cuts come in light of EA announcing its larger plans for the company through a publicly posted internal email that was also sent out to its employees. Through this, the company has said that it is working on a brand-new American Football project, dubbed Gridiron, and is also working on bringing back the Fight Night boxing game franchise.

“We have two new projects in development you’ll hear about over the next few months, including a brand-new, social-first open-world experience for our American Football team that we call ‘Project Gridiron,’ and we are also in pre-production to bring back a beloved, fan-favorite in Fight Night, leveraging capabilities from our simulation fighting team.”

According to COO David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber, the company has canceled many of its in-development projects, including Mass Effect. The two have said that the company is “making deliberate choices” that would help it recognize and capitalize on “the greatest opportunities” for players and the company itself alike.

It is currently unknown whether these layoffs will also start affecting the sports game development teams. However, reports have indicated that the College Football franchise might go to the back burner in five years.

It’s currently the 11th best-selling game of 2026 to date, but more impressively, its full-game dollar sales were the highest for a Sony title in its launch month since Helldivers 2 in February 2024. While sales numbers have yet to be revealed, it may be performing far better than most think.

Of course, the chart is full of other new titles for September, including EA Sports FC 27 in second, followed by The Blood of Dawnwalker in fifth, WARDOGS in sixth, and Onimusha: Way of the Sword in seventh. Halloween: The Game somehow claimed eighth while Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve debuted in ninth.

Perhaps the least surprising news is NBA 2K27 is now 2026’s best-selling game to date in the US, beating Resident Evil Requiem. It’s somewhat expected since the basketball title debuted in third place last August based on early access sales alone. If that isn’t a testament to the craze behind it, we don’t know what is.

It’s all the more vindicating since the developer decided to delay Valor Mortis out of September, avoiding Silent Hill: Townfall, Control Resonant and the previous weeks’ heavy-hitters. Even with the delay, it still had to contend with Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, Gears of War: E-Day, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen and more to kick off October.

Also, it isn’t necessarily one of 2026’s most acclaimed titles. Despite averaging a respectable 78 Metascore from 52 reviews (check out our review) and a 78 percent “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam, it’s far down the list of best-reviewed games.

But it all worked out. As for the studio’s current plans, it released a hotfix last week to address various crashes and reduce error logging that could affect performance. It’s also working on an unnamed major story DLC for release in 2027. Other features for Valor Mortis, free or otherwise, have yet to be detailed, so stay tuned for more updates.