How to Unlock Combat Abilities in Control: Resonant
Updated Oct 6, 2026 · 8 min read
Combat Abilities come from defeating Resonants. This page covers the official unlock loop, The Gap, and the extra slot listed from Pope's Research.
Defeat Resonants (major boss encounters) to earn supernatural Combat Abilities. Some Resonants offer a branching choice. Melee restores the resource those abilities spend.
What Combat Abilities are
Supernatural Combat Abilities are earned by defeating Resonants (major boss encounters); some offer branching ability choices.
Melee hits restore the Combat Ability resource.
How to unlock them
Progress the story until you fight Resonants. After a win, the game offers Combat Abilities—sometimes as a choice between powers tied to that encounter.
Loadout picks for The Artist, The Dancer, The Deserter, and The Collective are on Which Combat Abilities Should You Choose?—that page is about what to equip, not fabricated move damage.
Where you equip them
Players enter the Gap (build/customization space tied to Dylan's psyche) by pressing down on the DualSense D-pad.
Open The Gap after each new unlock and check slots before the next story fight.
Extra slot
Not yet verified: After five Resonants you typically have five Combat Abilities. Completing Pope's Research is listed as granting a Resonant token for a sixth slot—confirm the token and slot count in your save.
Walkthrough: Pope's Research.
New Game Plus
In New Game Plus you can equip multiple different combat abilities from the same boss.
New Game Plus carries over Aberrant upgrades, health and combat ability resource improvements, unlocked supernatural combat abilities, talents, and artifacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I unlock every Combat Ability in one playthrough?
Official write-ups say not everything unlocks in a single playthrough. New Game Plus later lets you take multiple abilities from the same Resonant.
Sources & Verification
- PlayStation Blog (Remedy Entertainment)Control Resonant: a deep dive into combat, buildcrafting, and player choice
- PlayStation Blog (Remedy Entertainment)Control Resonant: Remedy shares first details on New Game Plus
Last verified: October 6, 2026