Locating Matthews in Control Resonant and Dealing with the Desertion Choice

In the world of Control Resonant, exploring the FBC Field Office can lead to a specific encounter involving a character named Matthews. Following the completion of the ‘Evacuation Measures’ main story quest, where you save Arish from the Evacuation Building, you may receive a call from Zoe mentioning that her college friend Matthews has been spotted at the field office. Finding and deciding his fate is a minor narrative beat that encourages further exploration.

Locating Matthews

To find Matthews, head to the FBC Field Office in Central. Your destination is the Security Station, situated in the southern portion of the office complex. Look for an orange building located near a signpost pointing toward the Evacuation Zone. You will need a Clearance Level 1 keycard to access the interior. Once inside, head toward the northern corner of the room to find a soldier. You must engage him in dialogue, specifically questioning his presence in the West Incursion Zone, to force him to drop his cover and admit his true identity.

The Choice: Reporting Matthews

Once you have confronted Matthews and learned that he deserted his team in the West Incursion Zone, you must contact Zoe. You are presented with two choices:

• Lie to Zoe: If you tell her it wasn’t Matthews, she expresses relief, as she finds the idea of being the sole survivor of a squad traumatic. This path allows you to ask follow-up questions to uncover more lore about their relationship.
• Tell the truth: If you tell Zoe he is alive, she will be angry and indicate her intention to report him to management for desertion. This option also unlocks specific lore-heavy dialogue regarding their past.

Why it matters

For players, this encounter serves primarily as a narrative-building exercise rather than a choice with mechanical consequences. Regardless of whether you choose to cover for Matthews or report his desertion to Zoe, the outcome does not alter the game’s overall story path or your progression.

Instead, the interaction is designed to push you toward the West Incursion Zone. By learning about his desertion, you are prompted to investigate the location where his team was lost, encouraging you to face the Resonant entity residing there. It is a flavor-filled detour that rewards curious players with character backstories and a push toward the next challenge.