Ability Barriers are the sealed obstacles scattered across Manhattan in Control Resonant, marked on the mini-map with an icon that reads “An obstacle that can be cleared with a Combat Ability to open the way.” Each one guards a small pocket of superior loot, and each responds to a different power or weapon hit. If a barrier gives you no interaction at all, you simply have not unlocked the ability it needs yet.
Quick answer: Break metal roof panels with Ground Slam (or a charged Crush hit), burn mold barriers with Inferno or Ignite, and smash wooden boards or electrical panels with a normal weapon attack.
Every barrier type and what clears it
| Barrier | What removes it |
|---|---|
| Metal roof panels / hatch doors | Ground Slam ability, or a charged Crush attack |
| Mold-covered barriers | Fire abilities: Inferno or Ignite |
| Electrical panels | Any normal weapon attack |
| Wooden storefront boards | Any normal weapon attack |
Only the first two truly gate you behind a power. The electrical panels and boarded storefronts are just obstructions you can hit down whenever you reach them.
Break metal roof panels with Ground Slam
The square metal panels sit on rooftops in every district. To smash them the intended way, you need the Ground Slam ability, which comes from defeating The Dancer Resonant in the West Incursion Zone.
If you skipped Ground Slam, the Crush Secondary Form works too. Equip the hammer, then hold Triangle (or Y, or right-click) to charge a heavy attack and smash the panel open. It outputs enough blunt force to punch through the metal.
Burn mold-covered barriers with fire
In mold-infected areas, a sticky, web-like film seals certain doorways and passages; only fire can remove it. Choose Inferno, a separate ability that emits waves of fire, or Ignite, which gives Dylan’s attacks fire and burn damage. Both inflict Burn, so either ability works.
If you reach a mold barrier before you have any fire power, mark it on the map, take an alternate route, and come back once Inferno or Ignite is in your kit.
Clear electrical panels, wooden boards, and switch doors
These are the obstructions you can deal with straight away, no power required.
- Electrical panels: usually tied to garage doors and easy to spot by their blinking lights. Hit the panel with a normal weapon attack to open the path.
- Wooden storefronts: boarded-up shop entrances. Keep swinging your weapon at the boards until they break, since the first hit does not always land.
- Red switch doors: a few sealed doors, such as the Central Ability Barrier in the back alley southwest of the Field Office, open when you strike a red switch or control panel rather than checking for an ability.
How to confirm a barrier is cleared
You know it worked when the panel, mold, or board visibly breaks and the newly opened area becomes accessible. The Ability Barrier icon also drops off that spot on the map. Inside each cleared barrier you will typically find higher-tier rewards, including crafting materials and items like Living Shard that feed Artifact crafting.
Missing one on a first pass is never permanent. Manhattan stays fully open after the credits, so any barrier you left behind can be revisited once the required ability is in Dylan’s arsenal.
