All 6 Resonant Bosses and Their Rewards in CONTROL Resonant

Resonants are the major boss fights in CONTROL Resonant, powerful supernatural beings spread across the zones of a warped Manhattan. Each one sits at the end of its own route, and beating it unlocks a new combat ability for Dylan Faden, usually from a choice of a few. They're how Dylan's powers grow over the course of the game.

The Artist

The prologue's required Resonant fight, and the first time Dylan picks a new combat ability.

Region

Downtown

Arena

Resonant Ruins

Route Requirement

Fight it during Orientation in the Downtown prologue. This encounter is required to advance the main story.

Ability Reward

Choose one: Barrage, Volatile Anomaly, or Shield.

The Deserter

A Resonant at the bottom of Central's Patterned Factory, past a furnace you have to shut down.

Region

Central

Arena

Furnace Room, Patterned Factory

Route Requirement

From the Central Field Office, head north to the Factory and use Overheat on its patterned pipes to start the Resonant quest. Enter the Patterned Factory, use Power Cores to open its route, ride the elevator down, destroy the three heat tumors to disable the furnace, and continue to the Furnace Room.

Ability Reward

Choose one: Ignite or Inferno.

The Dancer

A Resonant in the West Incursion Zone's Theater Hall, reached once Dylan can Shift.

Region

West Incursion Zone

Arena

Theater Hall

Route Requirement

Complete The Incursion Fault in the Parking Garage quest to unlock Shift. Return to the West Incursion Zone, use Shift to cross the gravity-disrupted route, and continue into the Theater Hall.

Ability Reward

Choose one: Push or Ground Slam.

The Collective

A Resonant beneath The Park, behind a Mold Gate that opens after you eat four Mold strains.

Region

The Park

Arena

Mold Gate below the central sinkhole

Route Requirement

Complete Subway Fault to gain Reach for the rooftop route, and unlock Shift to traverse the zone. Eat the four Mold strains at the Café, Minimart, Pizzeria, and Gym, then return to the central Mold Gate below the sinkhole to open the route.

Ability Reward

Choose one: Spore Burst or Growth.

The Physicist

A Resonant in the Astral Plane above The Spire, behind three doors locked with Astral Keys.

Region

Underpass

Arena

Astral Plane above The Spire

Route Requirement

Progress the story until the Underpass opens during Recursions and Iterations; Reach is needed on the route into the zone. Use Shift to climb The Spire and enter the Astral Plane, then collect three Astral Keys from the side branches to open the three doors leading to the arena.

Ability Reward

Choose one: Spike or Astral Rebuke.

The Co-Director

A Resonant at the end of the Rangers' distress call, and the only one that grants its ability without a choice.

Region

Unknown

Arena

Patterned Field Office elevator arena

Route Requirement

Start The Unknown Resonant after receiving the Rangers' distress call. Follow the Gravity Wells created through Pope's Research to reach the Patterned Field Office; help the Rangers, disrupt the Pattern, carry a charge to the Power Core, and take the elevator to the arena.

Ability Reward

Command is granted directly; there is no choice.

What Are Resonant Bosses in CONTROL Resonant?

Resonant bosses are the big fights of the game, and they feel different from the regular enemies you meet on the streets. Regular enemies usually come in groups, while each Resonant is a single, tough opponent that often changes its attacks partway through the fight. The final story fight is separate and isn't one of them.

Spoiler warning: from here on, each Resonant and the later areas where they appear are named.

Where Do You Find Resonant Bosses?

Resonant bosses are not always easy to reach. Most of them sit behind a route that opens only once you have the right ability or have reached a certain point in the story. Shift is the ability that comes up most often. It lets Dylan move through areas with altered gravity, so an arena you can see but can't enter is often waiting on Shift.

Not every route is about movement. The Physicist's arena sits behind doors locked with Astral Keys that you find on side paths off the main route, and The Collective's gate stays closed until you eat the Mold strains scattered around The Park. If you can see a boss area but can't get to it, the usual cause is a missing ability or a story step you haven't finished, so keep moving through the story or come back later.

In What Order Should You Fight Resonant Bosses?

The Artist is the one fight with a fixed spot. It comes in the Downtown prologue, and beating it is required to move the story forward. After that, your abilities and story progress decide which routes are open.

The Deserter in Central and The Dancer in the West Incursion Zone open up earlier, while The Physicist waits until the story opens the Underpass, and The Co-Director starts with a distress call from the Rangers later on. For the rest, pick the next fight based on which one your current abilities and movement handle best.

How Do You Beat Resonant Bosses?

Most Resonant fights reward staying on the move. Standing still makes you an easy target, so dodge out of the way of big attacks and strike once the attack ends. Many of these bosses leave a short opening after their heaviest moves, so that's the moment to press in and build Falter toward an Execution.

Expect a change partway through. Many Resonants switch to a new set of attacks as their health drops, so when a new pattern starts, back off and watch rather than pushing in. Some bosses also call in helpers, so take out the summoned enemies first when they appear.

If a fight keeps beating you, come back stronger instead of trying the same approach again. Upgrade your abilities and the Aberrant, Dylan's shapeshifting melee weapon, in The Gap. Assist Mode can also lower incoming damage or enemy aggression if you'd rather tune the fight than grind for it.

What Happens When You Defeat a Resonant Boss?

Each Resonant you defeat unlocks a new combat ability for Dylan, which you equip in The Gap. Most of the time you choose from two or three options, so your pick shapes how you fight from then on. The options vary: some add fire to your attacks, some summon spikes or Mold growths, and others knock enemies around. The Co-Director is the exception, granting Command with no choice.

Every kill also starts a new Resonant Cycle. Enemies come back tougher, and World Feats refresh at a higher level, so areas you've already cleared don't stay easy. Because of that, it's worth finishing the side activities and World Feats you want in a zone before you take on its boss.

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