Skip to main content

Control Foundation DLC walkthrough: Explore the Foundation and investigate the Nail explained

Where to find the Nail in the Foundation.

The Foundation is the first of two DLC expansions for Remedy's Control.

This new mission sees you exploring The Foundation, the area at the very bottom of the Oldest House, to save the Nail, which appears to be a monument connected to the Astral Plane.

Before you can explore The Foundation, however, you first need to ensure that you've completed the main storyline for Control and, if you haven't, check out our Control walkthrough. It's also worth knowing how to start both DLC adventures for Control.

On this page:

Let's Play Control: The Foundation DLC Gameplay - Rezzed Digital 2020Watch on YouTube

How to find the door to The Foundation in Control

The Foundation DLC begins with you heading to the Hotline Chamber to talk to the Board.

The easiest way to reach the Hotline Chamber is to fast travel to Central Executive and then head through the doors north of the Control Point. From there, you just have to go right into the Director's Office and follow the hallway down to the Hotline Chamber.

Once you're there, you'll be able to hear the Hotline ringing, so go and see who's calling.

According to the Board, there's a problem in the Foundation, which you previously visited during the Finnish Tango mission.

To reach this area, head back to the Control Point in Central Executive and fast travel to the Foundation, referred to as the Restricted Area on the main map.

Upon reaching the Restricted Area, interact with the etching of a tree on the nearby pillar.

Collectables to be found:

  • Research & Records - Hiss Research - Variance in Alterations
    • (On the desk in the boardroom)
The location of Hiss Research.

Explore the Foundation and investigate the Nail in Control

Welcome to the Foundation - a whole new area in the Oldest House for you to explore.

Your journey begins simply by following the path forward, until you reach a door that you can open by using launch to place the power core back on the socket. Doing so will open the door and, thankfully, turn the lights back on.

Place the power core on the socket.

Continue following the path along and, when the crystals block your path, take the left-hand tunnel, following the sign pointing to Research Site Delta.

Levitate across the gaps and continue following the path, until you're attacked by a number of Hiss. After defeating these creatures, you can pop into the northern alcove to open a chest and then continue along the western path.

You'll quickly reach a new Control Point, which you can cleanse after defeating the three Hiss enemies guarding it.

Once you've done that, you'll need to levitate across the chasm in front of you and head into the next tunnel. Be prepared for a fight, however, as in the next area, you'll find yourself battling against some new Hiss foes, called Hiss Sharpened.

These Hiss enemies attack by throwing axes and have the ability to evade, which can make them quite deadly foes. The best way to defeat them is to use a combination of levitate and shield, which will allow you to defend yourself, while you keep track of where each Hiss Sharpened is.

Once you have the enemy pinned down, take them using your abilities and the Service Weapon.

After you've dealt with the Hiss Sharpened, it's time to head across the bridge and venture deeper into the Foundation, which will bring you to the toxic geysers.

Watch out for the toxic geysers.

Much like the mold infesting the Oldest House, these geysers will damage you if you come into contact with them. Thankfully, they seem to follow some sort of schedule, so you can easily run or levitate over them. Just keep an eye on the geysers as you do so - when they begin to tremble, they're about to erupt.

Next, you'll want to continue down the tunnel, until you reach the Cave Bleed and discover that the Astral Plane is breaking into the Foundation.

Fly across the gap, taking out the Astral Plane enemies as you go, to reach the Foundation caves on the other side of the intrusion, where you can continue walking through tunnels until you reach the Crossroads and The Nail.

Before you investigate the Nail, however, make sure you cleanse the Control Point in the middle of the Crossroads.

Collectables to be found:

  • Multimedia - Ash Tapes - Log 1: Discovery
    • (On a stone in the Research Site Gamma area.)
  • Hotline - Marshall - The Foundation
    • (Received after you enter the tunnel leading to Research Site Delta.)
  • Research & Records - Hiss Research - Hiss Sharpened
    • (Found after your first encounter with a Hiss Sharpened.)
  • Research & Records - Research - Cave Paintings
    • (Found in the area where you first encounter the Hiss Sharpened in the Foundation.)
  • Correspondence - Non-Official - Relocation Order
    • (Found on a stone across the bridge in the area where you first encountered the Hiss Sharpened.)
The locations of Log 1: Discovery, Cave Paintings and Relocation Order.
  • Correspondence - Official - Foundation Accident
    • (In the tunnel after you've navigated the toxic geysers.)
  • Research & Records - Astral Research - Astral Copy
    • (Received after defeating the Astral Plane enemies in the Cave Bleed.)
  • Multimedia - Ash Tapes - Log 2: Foundation
    • (In the yellow building near the Control Point for the Crossroads.)
  • Research & Records - Research - Foundation Pillar
    • (In the tent next to the Nail)
  • Research & Records - Research - Leylines
    • (In the tent to the west of the Crossroads Control Point.)
The locations of Log 2: Foundation, Foundation Pillar and Leylines.

Complete the Astral Plane Challenge in Control

Looks like we're back in the Astral Plane, but, this time, there's a twist - you have to pick which upgrade you receive.

There are two choices:

  • Shape - a new ability Jesse can use that allows you to control the crystals you encounter in the Foundation either to create platforms or attack enemies
  • Fracture - an upgrade to the Service Weapon that allows any Weapon Form to shoot through the crystals found in the Foundation

Which upgrade you choose isn't, ultimately, that important, because you'll gain the other ability later on in The Foundation DLC and your decision here will simply alter the order of the missions you encounter.

Pick whichever upgrade you prefer and the Astral Plane Challenge will begin.

If you choose Shape, you'll be tasked with learning how to create platforms and using the ability to attack your enemies. While, if you chose Fracture, you'll learn how to use the Service Weapon to destroy the various crystal formations in the Foundation.

Learning Shape involves creating platforms, while Fracture is about destroying crystals.

Once you've completed the challenge, you'll be returned to the Crossroads and the Foundation mission is completed.

For completing this mission, you'll receive:


It’s time to journey into the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control. Our Control walkthrough can help you through the storyline missions, including Welcome to the Oldest House, Unknown Caller, Directorial Override, Old Boy’s Club, Threshold, My Brother's Keeper, The Face of the Enemy, Finnish Tango, Polaris and Take Control. You can also learn new supernatural powers by completing A Merry Chase, A Good Defence and A Captive Audience. We also have guides on upgrading the Service Weapon, your Abilities, how to use Weapon and Personal Mods, how to unlock every outfit and the solution to the Roulette Wheel puzzle.


The next mission, The Nail, will automatically begin, but the order in which the tasks appear depends on which upgrade you selected in the Astral Plane.

If you choose Shape, then you'll be tasked with exploring the Warehouse and Collapsed Department first.

If, however, you selected the Fracture ability, you'll find yourself heading to the Canyon Rim and Research Gamma Site first.

Good luck exploring the Foundation!