Key Takeaways
- Into the Valley of Death is a side quest that tasks Dylan with finding Langston’s missing cat, Alfred, deep in the Sinkhole.
- It unlocks during the Recursions and Iterations main quest — talk to Pope twice in the Oldest House lobby to trigger it.
- Follow the yellow tape through the Sinkhole to reach Langston’s apartment, pick up the cat feeder, load the carrier, and track Alfred via blood splatters.
- The quest ends with a two-phase fight against Maria, a Hiss-corrupted FBC officer. Use Call Cat (L1) in phase two to direct Alfred through the glowing grates.
- Completing it rewards the Untapped Catnip Toy artifact and 250 XP for the Evacuation Zone.
Into the Valley of Death is one of Control Resonant’s more memorable side quests — partly because it sends Dylan deep into the disorienting Sinkhole, and partly because the co-star is a cat. It is easy to get turned around in the apartment stacks, so this guide covers every objective step by step, including how the two-phase Maria fight actually works.
How to Start Into the Valley of Death
The quest becomes available once you complete the Enemy of My Enemy story mission and begin Recursions and Iterations. At the start of that quest, your objective sends you to speak with Emily Pope in the Oldest House lobby.
Talk to Pope — but do not walk away after the first exchange. She will say “One more thing.” Interact with her a second time to officially add Into the Valley of Death to your quest log. If you skip that second conversation, the quest will not appear.
After that, head to the FBC Field Office in Central and speak with Langston at his station. He explains that his cat Alfred is missing somewhere in the Sinkhole and hands you Langston’s Apartment Key.
This is the second side quest Langston gives you. If you have not done the first yet, check out the Panopticon Service Request walkthrough before coming back here.
How to Reach Langston’s Apartment in the Sinkhole
Fast travel to the Evacuation Zone and enter the Sinkhole through the laundromat entrance. Head through the FBC checkpoint and follow the yellow tape — it is your main navigation tool through this whole section, so keep your eyes on it.
Pass through the breaks in the walls and follow the tape until you see the number 3 painted on the wall. Keep going through the apartment structure and drop to the checkpoint on the small platform. Go through the door surrounded by yellow tape.
You will now enter a larger area with disabled lifts and stacked apartments. Look up across the chasm for a shimmering white light — that is a flashing TV. Head toward it and speak with FBC Ranger Dombrow, who is sitting in front of the screen.
After speaking with Dombrow, turn right, head through the hole in the wall, and continue following the yellow tape until you see a brown door suspended over the void with a 5 on the wall nearby. Cross the plank carefully and use Langston’s Apartment Key to open it.
Search the Apartment for Alfred
Once inside Langston’s apartment, inspect the clues in order:
- Examine the scratch marks on the foyer wall
- Inspect the blood on the floor
- Check the knocked-over plant in the living area
These clues confirm Alfred has escaped. Langston will talk to you through the automated cat feeder using its built-in speaker and camera. Pick up the cat feeder from the living room and carry it into the bedroom, then place it next to the cat carrier. Interact with both to load the feeder into the carrier, then pick up the carrier to begin the search.
Search for Alfred in the Sinkhole
Carrying the carrier, head back out and follow the trail Alfred left behind. Look for knocked-over plants and scratch marks on the walls — these are your breadcrumbs through the Sinkhole.
Report the first knocked-over plant to Langston. The trail leads past Ranger Dombrow and deeper into the Sinkhole, eventually arriving at a room with a double bed and white sheets.
Find a Bedroom for the Carrier
You need to find a bedroom where the TV is switched on. Stand with your back to Dombrow’s TV and look across the chasm at the same level — you should see a flicker in the corner. That is the apartment you want.
Jump across and place the cat carrier inside the bedroom next to the switched-on TV. Remove any potted plants from the room by picking them up and tossing them into the chasm — Alfred will not enter if there are distractions around.
Once the room is clear and the carrier is positioned, step back into the hallway and wait. Langston will confirm that Alfred has climbed inside. Pick up the carrier again and get ready to move.
Investigate the Screaming
Almost immediately, you will hear a scream. Follow the blood trail leading down into the hole. Drop down while holding the carrier — use your Elevate ability after descending to land safely near the checkpoint totem.
Find Ranger Dombrow’s body near the totem. Head south toward the blue light and through the red crack in the wall to trigger the fight.
How to Defeat Maria (Phase 1)
Maria is a former FBC officer transformed by Hiss resonance into a creature that moves through walls. Phase 1 is a fairly straightforward fight — deal damage with your normal combat tools and bring her health bar to zero.
She uses Hiss-style projectile attacks and can close distance quickly, so keep moving and use any high-damage abilities you have unlocked. For tips on the best abilities to bring into fights like this, see the Co-Director boss guide and Dancer boss guide — the strategies carry over well.
How to Help Alfred Fight Maria (Phase 2)
After you drop Maria’s health to zero, the fight is not over. She retreats into the walls and the objective changes to Help Alfred Fight Maria. This is where the cat earns his keep.
Alfred can travel through the wall spaces Maria is hiding in — Dylan cannot. Your job is to direct him toward her using the Call Cat prompt (L1 on PlayStation, equivalent on other platforms).
Here is how to do it:
- Set the cat carrier down at the red wall crack.
- Look for the glowing grates on the floor or walls — these are the points where you can interact with Alfred’s position.
- Move to a lit grate and use Call Cat (L1) to guide Alfred toward where Maria is hiding.
- Alfred will fight inside the wall space while Dylan indicates Maria’s position from the room.
- Wait for Alfred to confirm the kill.
Once Maria is down for good, pick up the cat carrier again and carry it back to Dombrow’s body. An FBC evacuation crew will collect both Alfred and the fallen ranger, completing the quest.
Into the Valley of Death Rewards
- Untapped Catnip Toy — an equippable artifact with passive modifiers
- 250 XP for the Evacuation Zone
The Untapped Catnip Toy is worth checking out if you are building around passive ability stacking. For a full breakdown of every artifact in the game, see the Control Resonant all artifacts guide.
Tips for Navigating the Sinkhole
- Use the yellow tape. It is the most reliable navigation aid in this area. Whenever you feel lost, backtrack until you find a taped path and follow it.
- Fast exit tip: To leave the Sinkhole quickly after finishing the quest, drop down the central hole to the original bottom where the diving bell is. There is a Fast Travel door there that is much faster than trying to climb back out the way you came.
- Carry the carrier carefully. Dylan can jump and use Elevate while holding it. Use Elevate to control your descent over the bigger drops rather than free-falling.
- Clear the plants from the bedroom. Alfred will not enter the carrier if there are plants in the room. Toss every plant into the chasm before placing the carrier.
More Control Resonant Quest Walkthroughs
Looking for help with other quests and content in the game? Here are some useful guides:
- Recursions and Iterations Walkthrough — the main quest this side story unlocks from
- Maintenance Protocol Quest Walkthrough
- Urban Survival Quest Walkthrough
- All Bosses and Where to Find Them
- All Artifacts Guide
- Control Resonant Codes – All Working Codes & How to Redeem Them
- Beginner Tips — essential advice for new players
