25 Years Before Control Resonant, Remedy Made Its First Game About Manhattan
Remedy Entertainment’s upcoming Control Resonant continues a creative legacy established over two decades ago. The studio first explored New York City as a defining game setting with Max Payne, released 25 years ago for Windows PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. That landmark title presented a stark, ice-bound version of Manhattan, opening with a dramatic scene of police cruisers and a helicopter converging on a downtown skyscraper, immediately establishing a sense of dread and environmental hostility.
The comparison underscores how effectively New York City has evolved as a video game setting across different eras and genres. From Max Payne’s noir-influenced shooter atmosphere to modern interpretations in titles like The Division and Marvel’s Spider-Man, the metropolis has repeatedly proven itself a compelling narrative element—functioning almost as a main character in interactive media, much like it has in film.
Control Resonant, arriving next week, is expected to deliver another distinctive and memorable interpretation of the city. Remedy’s 25-year journey from its original New York noir vision to this upcoming release demonstrates the enduring creative appeal of the metropolis as a backdrop for ambitious game narratives and world-building.