Control Resonant has a new voice for its spooky boss, and it is the best audio trick in any game this year. The entity known as The Board speaks through Dylan Faden, the brother of Jesse Faden from the first game, and it sounds like a demonic burp mixed with a vuvuzela played underwater.
The reviewer, who writes about games for a major outlet, says it without hesitation: the deep, strange voice of The Board is the favorite part of Remedy’s weird open-world action game.
Dylan Faden And The Rod
Dylan plays as the supernaturally gifted brother of Jesse Faden. He carries a powerful artifact, a shapeshifting rod used to beat nasty monsters to death. That rod is connected to The Board, the entity that bossed his sister around in the last game.
In Resonant, The Board acts as Dylan’s handler, boss, guardian, and benefactor. Its presence runs through the whole game.
What The Board Sounds Like
The Board speaks in a deep, unnatural tone full of pops and groans. The reviewer describes it as shaking the brain in a way that is both unnerving and oddly satisfying.
Fucking rad. The Board sounds like a demonic burp combined with a vuvuzela from hell being played underwater.
The Board also speaks during combat. After a cool execution, it almost sounds like it is saying “COMBO” in its deeply unnatural, ear-shaking tone. The reviewer smiles every single time.
Online Reaction
The voice is not new to everyone. It did not sound anything like this in 2019’s Control. Now, plenty of people online have praised the strange deep and menacing pops and groans it makes.
One of the best pieces of Board appreciation came from Chris Person, former Kotaku video guru and current Aftermath writer. He made a Simpsons mash-up that the reviewer called one of their favorites.
Staying In The Gap
The Board does more than talk. If you stay in the gap for a few minutes, it starts singing. The song comes from user byu/AmushyBanana, who posted it in response to the review.
Why It Works
The Board’s voice works because it fits the game’s tone perfectly. It is an evil entity that may eventually wipe out humanity, and the reviewer admits that is possible. They have not completed the game, and this is the Control universe, where things get dark and weird.
But even if The Board is vile and dangerous, the reviewer does not care because it sounds so damn cool. Listen to it sing, and the argument is made.
Comparison With The First Game
| Feature | Control (2019) | Control Resonant |
|---|---|---|
| Voice of The Board | Different, standard | Deep, burpy, vuvuzela-like |
| Role in game | Jesse’s boss | Dylan’s handler/benefactor |
| Combat callout | None described | “COMBO” during executions |
The Verdict
The Board’s new voice is a small detail, but it is the kind of detail that makes a game unforgettable. The reviewer loves it so much that they are not worried about the danger.
Maybe it will wipe out humanity. That is possible. But for now, the sound is too good to be mad at.
Source material: “Control Resonant Has The Coolest Bit Of Video Game Audio In 2026,” Kotaku.
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