The Aberrant: CONTROL Resonant’s shapeshifting weapon forms
Dylan Faden fights with one weapon that changes shape. The studio has named four of its forms and said there are others it is not showing yet, so most of the longer list below comes from reviewers describing their own builds.
What the studio has said
The lead gameplay designer says the Aberrant “can transform into multiple forms, like Hammer, Blades, Scythe, and Fists” and adds: “There are other forms too, but we are not revealing them yet.” Said in PlayStation Blog: New gameplay details on Control Resonant's supernatural action. The Steam page describes the same weapon as one that “morphs on demand to meet each new challenge”. Written on Steam store page (appdetails API)
A later post from the studio explains the structure. The Aberrant “shifts between distinct Primary and Secondary Forms, along with powerful Combo Enders, allowing you to tailor speed, range, and combat role within a single build.” Said in PlayStation Blog: A deep dive into combat, buildcrafting and player choice. The same post names three pillars for a build: abilities earned from Resonant bosses, Weapon Forms for the Aberrant, and Talents.
Forms by who names them
| Form | Named by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hammer | The studio (PlayStation Blog and Steam text); also Rock Paper Shotgun and Push Square | The Steam text calls it a two-handed hammer. |
| Blades | The studio (PlayStation Blog and Steam text) | The Steam text calls them dual-wielded blades. Push Square and Pure Xbox each name a dual-blade setup they used. |
| Scythe | The studio (PlayStation Blog); also Rock Paper Shotgun and Push Square | Both reviewers mention scythes among the forms they tried. |
| Fists | The studio (PlayStation Blog) only | None of the three reviews describes a Fists form. |
| Drill | Reviewers: Rock Paper Shotgun and Pure Xbox | Rock Paper Shotgun calls it a secondary form and praises its stunlocking. Pure Xbox calls it a precision drill. |
| Nunchuks | Reviewer: Rock Paper Shotgun | Listed alongside hammers and scythes as the kind of form on offer. |
| Glaive and whip | Reviewers: Pure Xbox (both) and Push Square (whip) | Pure Xbox describes a glaive and extended whip pairing early on, then a change of setup. |
| Axe and spear | Reviewer: Push Square | Given as an example pairing you could mix, next to a scythe with a hammer. |
| Spinning blade | Reviewer: Push Square | Used in the combo ender slot, not as a Primary or Secondary form. |
The reviewer names are their own descriptions of what they equipped, and their lists do not add up to one official roster. Rock Paper Shotgun and Push Square each describe three choices for both the Primary and the Secondary slot; Pure Xbox says there are a fair few forms to choose from. Reviewer detail from Rock Paper Shotgun: CONTROL Resonant review, from Pure Xbox: CONTROL Resonant review (Xbox Series X) and from Push Square: CONTROL Resonant review (PS5).
How a build is put together
- Pick a Primary Form. Rock Paper Shotgun says each form gets its own button and a three-hit combo.
- Pick a Secondary Form. The second slot works the same way, so a build always pairs two forms.
- Pick a Combo Ender. The studio names Combo Enders as a further part of the build. Push Square says each ender comes with its own small skill tree.
- Spend upgrade points. Rock Paper Shotgun says points put into one form raise base damage and falter build-up for every form, so an unused form is not dead weight.
- Change your mind. Push Square and Pure Xbox both say a build can be respecced. The studio says builds are shaped in the Gap, which Dylan enters by pressing down on the directional pad of a DualSense.
What is not published
Per-form damage, speed and range numbers are not given here. Push Square and Pure Xbox say they played review copies from Remedy. For how the form slots sit next to difficulty and fight length, see Assist Mode and how long the story takes.
Related
- Dylan Faden, who carries the Aberrant, and how the melee weapon replaces Jesse’s gun
- Is it open world? and what the reviews say
- The FAQ and the official trailers