So you’ve completed Remedy Entertainment’s Control Resonant, dipping your toes in its paranatural lake that’s totally an ocean and saved Manhattan from the [REDACTED]. What’s left, besides speculating about the potential sequel and/or DLC? Well, a lot. Manhattan offers numerous side activities, some obvious and others far less so, and several aren’t even possible until you’ve unlocked all the zones and every traversal ability.
Aside from collectibles, documents and recordings, there’s a lot to discover in the city. Without further ado, let’s dive into 15 things to do after finishing the story, starting with the most obvious goal…
Defeat all the Resonants
It may only become obvious after defeating the Dancer and the Deserter Resonants, but you can pretty easily skip several of the others (not quite comfortably, given how good their abilities can be, but still). In fact, unless you take the time to explore the Underpass and the final zone, the final two Resonants might not even be all that obvious. So what better way to leverage a more powerful Dylan than to clean them up and unlock their abilities?
The Command Ability
You’ll especially want to take out the Resonant in the Unknown, since this unlocks an ability that – unlike all the others – is always available. Command doesn’t use Power – instead, it relies on charges and can be used to convert an enemy to your side. Did I say “an enemy”? I mean, any enemy, even the larger Hiss and Mold running around and making life miserable. If that wasn’t enough, the remaining 25 percent (probably more) of the Talent tree is built exclusively to take advantage of Command, so you can build into it pretty easily.
Fully Upgrade Aberrant
While you’re at it, look into upgrading all the different Aberrant Forms and Finishers. You can fully master a few Primary and Secondary Forms through the main story and side questing, but unlocking all the Finishers will require going out of your way. Nevertheless, it’s worthwhile, especially considering their perks, whether it’s extra Falter dealt by uppercutting fools, igniting enemies with the Split Pivot, and so on.
The “Secret Organization”
The Federal Bureau of Control isn’t the only clandestine organization in the city. In fact, another, referred to as the “secret organization,” is busy keeping tabs on the FBC, at least to the best of its abilities. They have several hideouts throughout, but accessing them requires completing different puzzles, whether it’s activating appliances in a coffee shop from smallest to largest or turning on washing machines based on a number grid. Even if the lore doesn’t intrigue, they’re well worth completing for the Power and Health upgrades.
Dylan’s Sketches
Bet you never guessed that our boy, Dylan, was an artist. His muse? Almost anything, really, but you’ll need to correctly place the props first. From cats enjoying a picnic to properly organizing art gallery exhibits, you’ll know the placements are correct when he affirms them and can sketch peacefully. And lo and behold, the drawings themselves aren’t half-bad.
Complete the Arcade Machine Challenges
While leveling up the zones, you’ll inevitably spot arcade cabinet icons here and there. If the zone’s rank is high enough, interacting will take you to a separate instance with a unique challenge, from surviving a never-ending onslaught of enemies in shrinking zones to playing Domination solo, protecting three points of interest. Besides the high scores and bragging rights, they award Power upgrades and even cosmetics. If nothing else, they’re also a great place to push your build to its limit.
Complete all World Feats
You’ll clear World Feats in different zones to improve your Build Power and even farm the Source required for goods, including materials, whether you’re aware or not. Denoted by small white icons, these range from Apex Hunts, where you’ll battle a challenging Elite enemy, to Air Drops that require some platforming to interact with. Completing them also levels up the zone, which is a great way to unlock more bonuses like increased Source, health drops and even a chest detector.
Complete all FBC Board requests
Another means to farm Source is by helping out the FBC with requests, often found on notice boards in each zone. You’ll probably complete some of them without even knowing it, and while they can be fairly bog-standard – like clearing out hostiles or helping escort some Rangers – they’ll still award a healthy amount of Source.
The Last Taxi
A sentient taxi that takes you to an alternate dimension where you communicate with a lost traveller by payphone? Sounds like a Remedy game, for sure. There’s a taxi for each zone, and as you progress, the conditions for exiting the threshold become more varied, such as shining a floodlight to discern the correct taxi or picking the odd one out based on their flashing lights. Fair warning, though: There’s no reward. It’s just the inherent nature of the puzzles that make them worth investigating.
Contain the Altered Camera
Encountered fairly early on as part of the side quest “Freeze Frame,” the Altered Camera will essentially take your photo, suspending you in place for a short period, and then teleport away. Containing it involves sneaking up behind without getting spotted and interacting with it. Which is easier said than done, since you’ll need different traversal abilities
Complete the Testing Facility Puzzles
Throughout Manhattan are abandoned FBC Testing Facilities that were conducting some paranatural experiments, whether it’s objects that change shape depending on where you’re standing or transferring charge between pylons in hot potato-esque fashion. Besides the rewards, it’s worth taking the time to wrap all of them up – the puzzles themselves serve as an excellent break from the combat and exploration.
Find All Artifacts
As unexciting as they may feel in the opening hours, Artifacts can actually become pretty build-defining as you venture further along. And while you’ll discover a healthy amount by following the story, it’s worth visiting the vendor in each zone, since it’ll likely have an Artifact to sell, and completing the side quests, which provide them as rewards. And while you’re at it…
Finishing All Side Quests
Honestly, you might as well. Besides the taxi and Altered Camera questlines that span the entire game, there are side quests with multiple parts like Carbon Copy, which involves reuniting twin sisters, or the curious case of the Altered Speaker, which involves tracking down an entire set. Several of these award Artifacts and offer interesting lore to boot.
Fully Leveling All Zones
If you’re truly hurting for something to do at this point, then try maxing out a zone’s rank. It may seem daunting at first, but completing requests, side quests, and World Feats will make it fly by. Besides, you’ll also unlock new World Feats, which further help with the process.
New Game Plus
Once everything has been more or less wrapped up, you can enter New Game Plus by going to The Gap and interacting with the mural of Resonant abilities. Your traversal abilities and map progress are reset, but you’ll keep all the Aberrant upgrades, abilities, cosmetics and stat upgrades. Enemies are significantly tougher in NG+, and bosses even have new attacks, but you’ll also have a fourth Artifact slot to help even the odds. And if that’s not enough, the Board may have some interesting remarks to share when unlocking new abilities from the same Resonant.
