Oh yes, the Ashtray Maze sequence was incredible! Probably one of my favourite moments in gaming.
I definitely see where you're coming from, about the controls, but I thought the controls in.... Control (ha!) were much improved from previous games. Not adding a radar is definitely a deliberate choice on the designers' parts, but of course, opinion will vary on the matter. I thought the game's difficulty was pretty much on point, but now that I searched online, it seems like there's no difficulty setting! If it's "just right" for someone like me who plays a ton of games, yeah, it's definitely going to be too difficult for some casual gamers. Let's hope they add a difficulty setting back in.
Yeah I had no real problem with difficulty overall but I feel bad for some out there. One thing I hated was the invisible enemy that would pop up and devastate, felt pretty cheap, especially with no radar.
Control definitely had better controls that Alan Wake, ye gods, I loved that game but it was wonky to do anything.
Yeah, I'm often frustrated by the "invisible enemy" in many games too, but in discussing it with friends, I've realized that some genuinely enjoy the "jump scare" thrill of it.