F.E.A.R.

Overview

F.E.A.R. is a first-person shooter franchise from Monolith Productions. The series is notable for its blend of open-ended shooting sections (with bullet-time) and atmospheric horror storytelling with nods to Japanese horror films like The Ring.

The first game in the series--F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon--was published by Vivendi Interactive in 2005 under the Sierra brand. Warner Bros. purchased Monolith shortly after the game's release, complicating the fate of F.E.A.R. due to Monolith's contract with Vivendi - Vivendi owned the name, while Monolith owned the story, characters, and mechanics. This led to Sierra releasing two non-canon expansions packs--Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate--both created by TimeGate Studios. Meanwhile, Monolith worked on developing a full sequel in what was then just called Project Origin. Luckily, not long before Project Origin was finished, Warner Bros. was able to purchase all rights to the F.E.A.R. franchise from Vivendi in the wake of their merger with Activision, clearing the way for Project Origin to be rechristened with its final name, F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin.

F.E.A.R. 3 was developed by Day 1 Studios, who had previously handled the console ports of F.E.A.R. 1. Esteemed horror director, John Carpenter, contributed to the in-game cinematics and horror writer, Steve Niles, contributed to the game's script.

Characters

Point Man

F.E.A.R. Point Man is the player character of Monolith Productions' F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon and is a silent protagonist. He is a special forces soldier with superhuman reflexes. He was the first son of Alma Wade and Paxton Fettel's brother. Point Man was also the first prototype of Armacham Technology Corporation's Project Origin, but was deemed a failure. Little is known of how he exited Project Origin before going on to join the military.

Initially, the Point Man's role is to scout an abandoned facility and try to find Paxton Fettel. After failing to capture Paxton at this location, Point Man and the rest of the F.E.A.R. team relocate to a water treatment plant, where the Hannibal-3 spy satellite had picked up a new signal from Fettels transmitter. There he sees Alma and Paxton and witnesses many gruesome flashbacks, but again Fettel escapes. The Point Man chases Fettel to the ATC headquarters. He fights through squads of Replica Soldiers, Battle Armour and ATC Security Personnel, who try to cover up the mess ATC had made. Point Man eventually meets and attempts to save Alice Wade. He catches up to Paxton Fettel, kills him, and then destroys the Project Origin facility.

Alma Wade

The mystery around this character is the core part of F.E.A.R.s horror element. She is a power psion and often appears to the player character, then shortly after disappears. It is unknown if they are visions due to the playable characters relation to Alma or if she really is there. Most of the time she appears as a little girl with black, long hair in a red dress, but later in the game she is seen in her physical, adult woman form.

Alma's childhood wasn't simple. She was a very powerful psion and often had nightmares, which was the effect of the negative emotions around her, to which she was very sensitive.

She is the daughter of Harlan Wade, who pioneered the Origin project. When Alma was seven, she was forced to participate in Armacham Technology Coprorations "Project Origin", with the aim of creating psionically capable supersoldiers. Two days before her 8th birthday, she was put into an induced coma and locked in the Vault, a secure location in the Origin facility. She was impregnated twice, the father being her own genes [test tube pregnancy]. The first prototype - the Point Man - was born when she was 15. Her second child - Paxton Fettel - was born shortly before the closure of the project. After the project was closed, the life support was cut and she died in six days.

Before the beginning of the game, the president of ATC - Genevieve Aristide - decides to reopen the Origin facility and continue the project, but all the teams she sends down, disappeared. With the facility open again, Alma uses her powers to synchronize with Paxton Fettel's mind and free him from his cell. Alma forces Paxton to find the Origin facility and free her physical form.

Alma is often seen in the game - sometimes standing in the shadows, running past the Point Man or behind windows, but she always disappears shortly after. She is one of the main horror elements in the game. She is heavily inspired by eastern horror.

Later in the game, when she is freed from her imprisonment, she appears as a naked, adult woman, instead of the little girl in red dress, which presumably was her psychic image.

Alma's Powers

Because of Alma's telekinetic gifts, she has a number of powers she can possess whenever she pleases. Although Alma's complete mental strength is unknown, however she has shown off at least two different powers:

• Mind Control: Although no proof has been given, it's believed that Alma controlled Paxton Fettel's mind, forcing him to attack ATC Buildings, attempting to save her.
• Telekenetics: Alma has the ability to throw objects using her mind. The largest object she's been able to move is the Vault Door that was used to contain her. She also has the ability to move individual objects, for instance, ripping the skin off of a person's body, without affecting their bone structure. In addition to moving large objects, and individual objects, Alma can also stop fast moving pieces of matter, such as bullets. Rendering her practically invulnerable
• Hallucinations: Alma can affect other's minds, sending them false images, sounds, etc.

Collector's Edition

The F.E.A.R. 3 Collector's Edition is a special edition SKU which features unique packaging, extras and in game items:

• SteelBook Packaging
• 7" Alma Collectable 'glow in the dark' Figurine
• Exclusive F.E.A.R. 3 Comic-Book by DC Comics
• Exclusive In-Game Weapon: The Hammer