The Almaverse is the alternate dimension where Alma's psychic essence subsists.[1] It represents how she views the world, showing a twisted version of reality, in line with the horrific abuse Alma suffered as a child.[2] Initially, only others with psychic abilities can see the Almaverse, however, by the time of F.E.A.R. 3, Alma's pain causes the Almaverse to spill into reality, allowing manifestations of her fears and nightmares to appear in the real world.
In F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon, there is a version of the Almaverse that appears throughout the game, however, it has a much different appearance than in later games.
History[]
F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon[]
The Almaverse technically first appears in F.E.A.R., seen in periodic scenes of the Birthing Facility where Alma gave birth to the Point Man. Paxton Fettel describes these visions as being caused by the Point Man's ability to see into Alma's mind, thus viewing her memories of the day she gave birth to him. The memories seen by the Point Man often involve large amounts of fire, as well as appearances by young Alma, who is often huddled in a corner, crying. At times, the Birthing Facility will be seen covered in blood that drips upwards towards the ceiling, accompanied by an image of a ghostly Alma walking upside down towards the Point Man. Towards the end of the game, the Point Man fights Alma in the Almaverse after seeing her kill an Armacham Technology Corporation scientist.
This version of the Almaverse is starkly different from that seen in the sequel games, likely because the Point Man is seeing the memories against Alma's will, rather than her forcing the visions onto him, as she does in later games.
Monolith Timeline[]
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin[]
The Almaverse first appears in its reddish-orange form in F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin, shown to protagonist Michael Becket when Alma overtakes his mind. Becket is first introduced to the Almaverse when he sees a vision of a ruined landscape, a psychic premonition of the upcoming Origin Facility explosion. Alma leads him through this world before returning him into reality. From that point on, Becket periodically sees the Almaverse anytime Alma is close to him.
At the end of the game, Alma forces Becket into a hallucination that takes place in the Almaverse, where he fights a monstrous version of his Dark Signal squadmate, Harold Keegan. During that time, Alma violently rapes Becket's body in the real world, culminating in a pregnancy. In the game's final scene, Becket awakens to find himself trapped in the Almaverse, with Alma heavily pregnant with his child.
F.E.A.R. 3[]
In F.E.A.R. 3, the Almaverse starts to seep into the real world with every contraction as Alma gives birth to her third child, soon replacing the blue sky with blood-red clouds and later creating massive thunderstorms. With each contraction, it destroys the real world, as evidenced in Intervals 05, 06 and 07, with the almost complete destruction of the downtown district, the bridge being reduced to mere concrete rubble and serious damage or complete destruction of many parts of the airport.
In this game, the Almaverse is also the birthplace of Nightmares and Scavengers, creatures borne from the depths of Alma's twisted mind. It may also have given power to the Creep, which is a monster created from the horrible memories of Alma and her sons of Harlan Wade, Alma's abusive father.
References[]
Gallery[]
- Main article: Almaverse/Gallery