Into the Sinkhole Walkthrough
Into the Sinkhole is the fifth Main Story mission of Control Resonant in the Contain the Crisis chapter. Following Arish’s brief, Dylan Faden finds himself preparing to enter a sinkhole to install probe relays for the FBC. A team the bureau sent down before vanished, suggesting this will be a harrowing dive. This walkthrough for Into the Sinkhole includes instructions on how to install the probe relays, how to defeat the Hiss enemies, and how to escape.
Use these links to jump to the section you need:
- Escort the Probe Relays into the Sinkhole
- Install the Probe Relays
- Escape the Sinkhole
- Follow the Music
Escort the Probe Relays into the Sinkhole
When you're ready to start, activate the mission and open the map to look for the sinkhole's location. You'll find it just past the Evacuation Zone Checkpoint in the Evacuation Zone. As a reminder, you passed by it during Evacuation Procedures.
You can use a Fast Travel Door to get there quickly. Access a door and select the Main Street Fast Travel Door in the Evacuation Zone. The sinkhole is northwest of it.
Zoe reaches out via the radio as you approach the sinkhole, saying she argued with Arish over sending Dylan down. She mentioned being anxious about it, especially with the disappearance of the exploration team. You're given three options as a reply. Feel free to choose the one that sounds best, as your pick won't change the course of the mission. Dylan's gotta go down.
The diving bell is more of a diving platform, so you'll have to put those Edward Kenway fantasies to rest for now. To start the descent, hop onto the bell and activate the button. Zoe tells Dylan that his job here is to descend to bedrock and install probe relays. Since the radio won't work that deep, she switches to a speaker system installed on the bell.
The diving bell descends into the darkness. After a brief delay with the operator, the trip continues downward as the surrounding environment transforms into what appears to be walls made of Patterned rooms.
Clear Arena Encounter 1
Dylan soon enters a large room, and Zoe calls out about a Hiss tremor. The room opens up, and an Arena Encounter against a group of Hiss begins.
There are several Hiss Focused and Hiss Pursuer Heavy enemies to worry about. You should consider taking out the Hiss Focused first, as there isn't a lot of cover against their deadly beams.
You can continue the dive after clearing the Arena Encounter. Doing so rewards you with 100 Zone XP. When you're finished, hop back onto the bell and interact with the intercom to report to Zoe.
Clear Arena Encounter 2
A second Arena Encounter begins as you enter the next room. This time, the environment is made up of Patterned rooms with furniture and floors for walls and ceilings.
This encounter is unlike the previous one. Here, you must track down and kill a named Hiss Distorted, a Heavy enemy that distorts the air around it to become nearly invisible. Since it has a name, you should expect it to be a bit tougher than the standard variant.
The Hiss Distorted, or, well, Dan, behaves differently than you'd expect. It prefers to hide and will only attack when you're near. You'll have to search the room for the camouflaged foe. Here are some tips:
| Hiss Distorted Tips | |
|---|---|
| The Hiss Distorted isn't completely invisible. Look for where the air shimmers to locate its hiding spot. It also leaves a ghostly trail as it moves. | |
| Lamps in the room turn red when the Hiss Distorted is near and make a clear noise when activated. They will also get knocked over as the enemy passes. Look for red lamps indicating the enemy is nearby, or listen for them turning on/falling to guide you. | |
| The Hiss Distorted likes to hide in corners where it's harder to spot the shimmering. If you know one is close by, check the corners. | |
After defeating Dan, you must fight two more Hiss Heavies: Anne and Michelle. Anne is another Hiss Distorted, which means the prior tips can be used against her. Michelle, on the other hand, is a Hiss Focus - Apex that also has active camouflage.
As a suggestion, you should focus on one enemy at a time. Michelle doesn't share the same love of hiding as the others, and will laser-blast you from afar as you hunt or fight. And, as an Apex variant, her beams deal more damage. You may want to deal with Michelle first.
There are also Hiss Provoker enemies found on the surfaces of the room. These foes can deal some damage, but you should instead try Executing them when you're near a Heavy to get that Dominance buff for extra damage.
Once all three Hiss Heavies are killed, you can return to the diving bell to continue. Hop back onto the platform and interact with it to descend further.
Before the bell moves, Dylan asks Zoe if she had any family in the city. She tries brushing it off, which gives you an option for two replies. You can pick either one.
Install the Probe Relays
Finally, the diving bell reaches the bottom, where you must install four Probe Relays. Drop from the bell platform to find them ready for you on the ground.
How to Install Probe Relays
Probe Relays must be picked up and placed in the correct spot to complete their activation. Pick on up by getting close and holding the interaction button or key.
After picking one up, you must carry it to the location indicated by an icon on your Radar. It looks like a dot with a sound wave.
You cannot sprint while carrying a Probe Relay, but you can dash, use Elevate, and clamber onto ledges. Use Dash to get around more quickly and Elevate to climb.
When you get to a drop location, press the interaction button or key again to install the Probe Relay. The devices have lights that flash and make a clicking noise, both of which get faster as you get near the drop location. The light turns green when you've reached the correct spot.
Pick up and install each of the four Probe Relays on their designated drop locations. Each one has its own spot, so watch the radar to find it. Activate each of the probes after dropping them.
Escape the Sinkhole
After installing and activating the Probe Relays, Zoe can be heard from the speaker talking about something "spiking." This can't be good. She orders Dylan to return to the bell, but it's too high to reach, and it begins ascending without our hero.
As it reaches the ceiling, a red light bursts from above, and a whole army of Hiss enter the arena, including the flying Hiss Riveters. You'll have to fight your way back.
Other Hiss Heavies appear, such as Hiss Focus. Again, you should, erm, focus on these particular baddies to avoid getting lasered when you're distracted.
After defeating all the Heavies, the real threat emerges: the Hiss Ruiner.
Tips on How to Beat the Hiss Ruiner
The Hiss Ruiner is a massive, flying Hiss that's far more powerful than typical Heavy foes. Resembling a stingray, the Hiss Ruiner sweeps the arena with massive, damaging beams fired from the six holes in its chest.
This Hiss Ruiner has three types of attacks. The first is a set of beams that it sweeps over you when you're at a distance. When you're under it, the Ruiner drops bombs in a move called Cruise. Its third attack is called Dance, and it's the most dangerous.
You must fight this colossus while also dealing with regular Hiss enemies that are constantly respawning and hurling projectiles. It can be a challenging fight, so here are some tips:
Avoid standing under the Ruiner. You don't want to get caught up in its devastating bomb barrage.
Dodge through the beams. If you're about to get hit, use Dodge to avoid damage from the beams.
Use cover provided by buildings to avoid taking damage during the Dance. The Dance move can be difficult to predict. You can avoid taking damage by hiding in one of the handful of spots blocked by a building. Look for the L-shaped rooftops and take cover there, but don't linger for long! The other Hiss will track you down and attack you with projectiles.
Wait for it to expose its weak point when exhausted. The Ruiner becomes exhausted, typically after using Dance. Wait for the Dance to end and quickly drop onto its back to attack its weak point, which is exposed when it's exhausted. You can destroy the weak point three times, dealing heavy damage.
All the additional enemies fall after you defeat the Hiss Ruiner. Completing the fight rewards in Source, x2 Warped Resonance, and x2 Distorted Form.
Building parts appear in the air after the encounter ends, providing a means to escape. Hope onto one of the taller buildings and leap to one of the floating rooms.
Continue using the floating rooms to ascend.
You'll soon reach the Patterned rooms above. To continue, you must use the rooms and open spaces to climb up.
After reaching the top, turn around and clamber into the room nearest to the bottom.
Turn around and leap to the next room above.
After reaching the room, Zoe can be heard on the Diving Bell speaker. Look for the bell's cable leading up to the next room.
Here, you'll find the poor bell. Zoe reports that the sinkhole closed, which means Dylan is trapped. The speaker is also broken, which means he can't reply. Zoe mentions wanting to send in a rescue team, but it sounds like Arish shot her down. Dylan will have to figure out how to leave on his own.
When you're ready, turn left from the bell and look up to another room. Climb up. From this point, you must progress by following the Diving Bell's cable as it snakes its way through the rooms.
Continue following the cable as it takes you through rooms and over a chasm. You'll soon reach another chasm, this time with a floating platform of junk and a shifting Patterned circle of furniture that opens and closes like the aperture of a camera lens.
Wait for it to open and then hop onto the junk. The junk begins to disappear as another forms beyond the aperture. Quickly hop to the new pile and then clamber onto the ledge.
In the next room, the diving bell cable is stretched from wall to wall, crisscrossing with no clear indication of where you're supposed to go.
To find the exit, enter the room and look toward the southeastern corner. It'll be to the left of the entrance.
Hop up the boxes and follow the diving bell cable until it leads you to a hallway with a yellow overhead light.
Progress until you reach the end of the Diving Bell cable. You can look toward the mass of objects and report that you can no longer follow the cable up.
But just as Dylan contemplates what to do, a television in a room across the way bursts into life, casting a flickering blue light into the area. Leap across the gap to enter the room.
Follow the Music
Music can be heard from the TV. As you get close, the screen turns yellow, and you can see and hear another TV a few rooms over. Head that way.
Dylan finds himself in the mass of Patterned rooms from before. Here, you must navigate your way through them by following the music to each room with a TV.
Progress until you reach an open area lined by rooms. Look southeast and down a row for the blue TV.
Zoe can be heard on the PA system as you enter the room. Continue following the music as Zoe hints that she's getting reassigned, indicating that the FBC has given up on Dylan.
Keep moving until you reach another large area. The next TV is across the way toward the southeast.
Continue leaping over the chasm as Zoe speaks, mentioning that she read more of Dylan's file and learning about his past. As you progress, Zoe opens up a bit more about herself, revealing her own family issues.
The TV rooms get further away, forcing you to platform your way over. Use Elevate and Dash in the air to reach rooms and walls jutting out ledges to stand on.
When you reach the last room in the area, you find yourself running down a winding hallway. Zoe keeps speaking, and it sounds like time has been passing rapidly while Dylan's been away.
But as you reach the end of the hallway and enter an industrial tunnel, Zoe catches you on her radar.
Dylan has left the sinkhole and can finally reply. You get three choices. Feel free to pick which one works best for you.
Continue following the path until you reach a laundromat. Exit it to find yourself back on the surface. You can reach out to Zoe again and offer an apology about her dad, whom she talked about briefly while Dylan was in the sinkhole.
The mission ends after this, and you're rewarded with x1 Living Shard and 600 Zone XP for its completion.
At this point, you either must defeat the two Resonant Entities you have to beat for the CFD, or head to the next mission: Enemy of my Enemy.
If you haven't fought the Resonant Entities, these are available:
- The Central Resonant
- The West Incursion Zone Resonant