Remedy Entertainment’s latest dive into paranatural chaos, Control Resonant, is earning praise as a character action game that delivers on nearly every front. But for handheld gaming fans, there’s a sting in the tail: despite earlier promises of Steam Deck support, the game simply won’t run comfortably on Valve’s portable hardware. The good news? The newly released Steam Machine steps in as a capable alternative.
A Remedy Action Game That Mostly Nails It
According to Rock Paper Shotgun’s hands-on impressions, Control Resonant is “almost everything” the reviewer wanted from a Remedy-flavoured character action game – including several ambitious elements they didn’t initially believe the studio could pull off. That’s high praise for a developer already known for blending surreal storytelling with kinetic, physics-warping combat.
Unfortunately, one specific ambition didn’t survive the journey to launch: playing it in bed. The dream of slaying otherworldly threats from under the duvet has been dashed by cold, hard hardware limitations.
Why the Steam Deck Falls Short
The core problem comes down to rendering demands. Control Resonant needs to push a lot of paranaturally skew-whiff Manhattan – Remedy’s twisted take on the city is visually dense, and the Steam Deck’s aging internals simply can’t keep up comfortably.
It’s a familiar story for Deck owners in 2025. Valve’s handheld launched with impressive specs back in 2022, but a steady stream of increasingly demanding releases has gradually shrunk the library of games that run well on the device without significant compromises in resolution or frame rates.
What This Means for Deck Owners
While technically the game may boot on the Deck, “playable” and “enjoyable” are different standards entirely. For a fast-paced action game where frame drops can ruin combos and dodge timing, subpar performance isn’t a minor inconvenience – it fundamentally changes the experience. Players hoping to experience Resonant’s spectral firefights at their best will need to look elsewhere.
Enter the Steam Machine: The Bigger, Beefier Option
The silver lining in this story is Valve’s newer, more powerful living-room hardware. The Steam Machine handles Control Resonant capably, according to the report, offering the headroom needed to render its reality-bending Manhattan without breaking a sweat.
This positions the Steam Machine as exactly what many suspected it would be: a premium-tier option for players who want modern AAA performance with the convenience of a console-style Steam experience. Where the Deck prioritises portability, the Steam Machine prioritises power – and games like Resonant make that distinction crystal clear.
The Bigger Picture for Handheld PC Gaming
Control Resonant’s Deck shortfall highlights a growing divide in the PC gaming space. As engines become more demanding and developers target higher baselines, older handhelds risk being left behind on flagship releases. Players now face a genuine choice: upgrade to beefier hardware like the Steam Machine or newer third-party handhelds, or accept that some marquee titles will pass them by.
For Remedy fans, the good news is that the game itself is reportedly worth the effort – this is a case of hardware holding things back, not the software.
Grab Control Resonant Your Way
Ready to dive into Resonant’s paranatural chaos for yourself? You can pick up Control Resonant game codes and Steam gift cards at TURGAME.com, your go-to global destination for digital game keys at competitive prices. Whether you’re playing on a gaming PC or the new Steam Machine, TURGAME has you covered.
Source: Rock Paper Shotgun