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The Artist
September 27, 2026 at 06:04 AM
Initial version (2026-09-27)
The Artist is the first Resonant in Control Resonant and the boss that closes the opening quest. It is fought in the Downtown zone of Manhattan, not far from the Oldest House that Dylan has just escaped, and beating it is required to move on. Remedy's launch patch notes name it as the first Resonant boss fight.
Field | Detail |
|---|---|
Type | Resonant boss |
Zone | Downtown |
Quest | The opening main quest, listed in guides as Orientation |
Required for story | Yes |
Ability choice | Barrage, Volatile Anomaly or Shield |
Reset Items | Two since hotfix 1.3.3 (one before) |
Achievement | Artistic Liberation (a hidden achievement) |
Before release, two platform-holder hands-on accounts, one of the June 2026 Summer Game Fest build and one of the full game, described the first Resonant the same way: an enormous head embedded in the pavement, cut off at the mouth, that telekinetically lifts rocks, garbage, taxis and girders and throws them at Dylan. The later account likened it to a giant porcelain doll's face. Neither account named it; Remedy's launch patch notes identify the first Resonant boss fight as the Artist.
The approach runs across Downtown's rooftops toward the source of the Patterning, which guides place in a gallery building. The Artist then fights mostly at range, sliding around its arena and alternating between hurling cars and waves of rocks at Dylan. There is no parry in the game, so dodging through its throws, and closing in between them, is the answer.
Guides add a few more details. Up close it swings pairs of traffic lights, either straight down or across its front. At one point on its health bar it rises into the air and drops healing pickups; platforms appear, and hitting a glowing spot underneath it brings it back down. After that it repeats its earlier pattern, with rocks falling along the paths it slides across.
Like every Resonant, the Artist gives Dylan a choice of combat abilities, and it offers the widest choice of the four named Resonants: three, against two each for the Dancer, the Deserter and the Collective.
Ability | Effect |
|---|---|
Barrage | Fires projectiles at enemies. |
Volatile Anomaly | Summons an explosive ally. Remedy described it before launch as a turret-like ally that can be thrown and detonated. |
Shield | Conjures a protective shield. |
The June 2026 hands-on build offered Barrage, Seekers or Shield at the same point in the game. After the fight Dylan is taken to The Gap to make the pick, and it can be changed later at the Mural there by spending a Reset Item. Launch hotfix 1.3.3 made the Artist drop two Reset Items instead of one, part of a change Remedy made to encourage buildcrafting and experimentation.
