Official Feature Breakdown Updated Oct 31, 2026
CONTROL Resonant New Game Plus (NG+) is available directly at launch, allowing players who have completed the main story campaign to restart Dylan Faden’s journey through warped Manhattan with their full endgame arsenal, unlocked abilities, and developed talent trees intact. Unlike the original 2019 Control—which required players to rely on chapter select or fresh save files—Remedy Entertainment designed Resonant with full NG+ support built directly into the main menu upon beating the final campaign mission, The End.
This comprehensive guide details everything that carries over into New Game Plus, items that reset for narrative balance, enemy scaling adjustments in NG+, free talent respec mechanics, and how to utilize NG+ to mop up remaining trophies for the Platinum checklist.
Quick Answer: What Carries Over in NG+?
Here is a quick summary of progress carryover when launching a New Game Plus playthrough in CONTROL Resonant:
| Category | Carries Over to NG+? | Details & Exceptions |
|---|---|---|
| Abilities & Traversal | YES | Shift and Reach carry over immediately, allowing early access to high-elevation secret areas in Downtown and Central. |
| Aberrant Weapon Forms | YES | All unlocked Aberrant form transformations and form upgrade levels remain fully intact. |
| Talents & Skill Trees | YES | All spent and unspent Talent Points carry over. Players receive one free full respec upon starting NG+. |
| Crafted Artifacts | YES | Equipped and stored Artifacts carry over, including end-game tier 3 recipes. |
| Source & Materials | YES | All accumulated Source crafting currency and upgrade materials (including Living Shards) carry over. |
| Collectibles & Sketchbook | YES | Document logs, audio recordings, and Dylan’s Sketchbook drawings remain unlocked in your codex. |
| Story Quests & Map Kits | RESETS | Main story quests, side missions, and regional Map Kit calibrations reset so story pacing remains coherent. |
How to Unlock and Launch New Game Plus
To access New Game Plus, you must first complete the main story campaign by defeating the final boss in Fight to the Core and watching the credits roll during The End.
- After the credits, return to the Main Menu.
- Select New Game Plus from the main menu options.
- Choose an existing cleared save file (marked with a gold Board star icon).
- Select your desired difficulty setting (Standard, Hard, or custom Assist Mode parameters).
- Confirm to spawn in Downtown Manhattan with your endgame character loadout!
Enemy Scaling & Challenge Adjustments in NG+
To match your empowered endgame character kit, New Game Plus introduces scaled enemy encounters across all Manhattan zones:
1. High-Tier Enemy Mutations
Enemies in early-game districts like Downtown and Central no longer consist solely of basic Hiss Sharpshooters. NG+ populates early zones with high-tier Hiss Clusters, phase-shifting Aberrants, and heavily armored Breakers from your very first hour.
2. Elevated Health & Stagger Thresholds
Hiss enemies possess increased posture bars, requiring precise dodge timing and heavy Aberrant combos to trigger Falter windows. Utilizing elemental synergies like Ignite and Barrage becomes vital for managing aggressive enemy crowds.
3. Higher Material Drop Rates
Defeating scaled foes in NG+ awards significantly higher quantities of Source and rare crafting components, enabling players to max out remaining talent trees much faster than during a first playthrough.
Respec Mechanics Still Matter in NG+
Even though you start NG+ with high-level stats, flexibility remains a core design philosophy in CONTROL Resonant. You are not locked into decisions made during your initial playthrough.
- Upon entering The Gap hub in NG+, you will receive a complimentary Reset Item.
- Interacting with any Control Point or resting counter allows you to reallocate all Talent Points into entirely different skill trees (for example, switching from a defensive Shield build to a high-mobility Shift/Barrage build) for zero Source cost.
- For full respec guidelines, view our Talents & Respec Guide.
Using NG+ for Platinum Trophy & Achievement Cleanup
While a second playthrough is not required for the Platinum trophy (all trophies can be cleaned up in post-game free-roam on a single save file), launching NG+ offers several advantages for completionists:
- Early Traversal Advantage: Starting with Reach and Shift allows you to grab high-elevation Sketchbook drawings and open Secret Hideouts immediately upon entering new zones without waiting for mid-game story unlocks.
- Boss Trophy Mop-Up: If you missed specific boss trophies or want to re-fight mandatory Resonant bosses like The Artist or Co-Director with fully evolved weapon forms, NG+ lets you experience those encounters with maximum power.
- FBC Tasks Mop-Up: Easily complete any remaining tasks needed for the Diligent Consultant trophy (completing 20 FBC tasks). Full list: FBC Tasks Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I adjust Assist Mode settings inside New Game Plus?
Yes. Assist Mode features (such as invincibility, modified dodge windows, and damage sliders) remain fully accessible in NG+ and do not block trophy progress.
Can I start a third NG+ run (NG++) after finishing NG+?
Yes. Once you clear a New Game Plus campaign, that save file can be used to launch subsequent NG++ iterations indefinitely.
Related Guides: How Long to Beat & Completion Time · Platinum Trophy Checklist · Talents & Respec Guide · Best Endgame Builds · The End Finale Guide
NG+ first hour
Re-forge artifacts you skipped, re-check Assist toggles, and re-run one SHUM cabinet to confirm Reset Item farming still works on your difficulty. Enemy scaling rises — do not assume day-one street fights stay trivial.
Sources & further reading
Developer: Remedy Entertainment · Official hub: control-resonant.com · Series context: Control (video game) · Walkthrough / trophy cross-checks: PowerPyx.