CONTROL Resonant Pope’s Research — Balloon Relays & Resonant Token

Launch verified Updated Sep 27, 2026

Pope’s Research is the Unknown-zone side quest that makes the floating islands navigable. It starts after The Hedron Link and runs beside Sever the Hedron Links. Finish it for Gravity Wells, the Budding Analyst trophy, and a Resonant Token (second Combat Ability pick at The Gap).

Quick answer

Smash the payload at each of 8 balloons, plant 3 relays per balloon on the red circles (24 total), unlock the Unknown Map Kit early, then ride floating taxis to Point 0.

How to start

  1. Finish The Hedron Link.
  2. Take the Oldest House elevator to Roof Access to enter The Unknown.
  3. Pope’s Research appears in the quest log automatically.

Movement tips

  • Yellow floral Gravity Wells fling you between islands — hold L1 / LB while falling to glide.
  • Open fast travel doors as you go: Oldest House Rooftop, Twisted Rooftops, Tower Island, Factory Island, Patterned Evac Building.
  • Calibrate the Unknown Map Kit right after Balloon 1 so other balloons mark on the map — Map Kits.

All 8 balloon locations

  1. Oldest House Rooftop — elevator to Roof Access; open the rooftop door first
  2. Tower Island (north) — toward blue mold; cross platforms, drop to street
  3. Street below Tower Island — jump and glide down with L1/LB
  4. South of the map tower — gravity well → Oldest House → fast travel Twisted Rooftops → south
  5. Factory Island — gravity well across; door on brick rooftops
  6. Next floating island — launch from the well; land on the crane payload platform
  7. Patterned Evac Building island — gravity well; door on ground floor
  8. Central Island / Downtown street — well toward the map tower, then drop to the road (expect patterned enemies)

At each balloon: break the crate → pick up three probe relays → plant them on the red-circle tripods before moving on.

Point 0 (finish)

  1. After the last relay, the objective becomes Investigate Point 0.
  2. Climb to the high map-tower platform for a clear line to the sky anomaly.
  3. Hop the floating yellow taxi cluster to the central platform under the anomaly.
  4. Landing completes the quest.

Rewards

  • Budding Analyst trophy / achievement
  • +1 Resonant Token — spend at The Gap to unlock a Combat Ability you skipped earlier (Ignite and Inferno style second pick)
  • Unknown Gravity Wells / navigation required for Sever the Hedron Links and the Co-Director
Story gate Without Pope progress you cannot finish Sever the Hedron Links cleanly. Order: Where to go next. Next Resonant: Co-Director.

Related: All quests · Ending · The Gap