The Unseen World is a dark area filled with stick dolls in Chapter II and its Prologue. It reappears in Chapter III where Tiffany lingers.
History[]
Backstory behind the Unseen World is vague so below is an attempt of summarizing what we see in the game. The area is completely black and only has stick dolls. The layout of the dolls changes and the area loops. In Chapter III, the Unseen World is the parallel version of New Haven Apartment Complex's 10th Floor. This version is unique since it lacks any stick dolls and has a layout different to the real 10th Floor.
September 22nd to September 27th, 1987[]
Sometime between these two dates, John experiences a nightmare where Chapter II Prologue takes place. After banishing the Basement Demon in Snake Meadow Hill Church, there's a new note near the staircase to the altar that instructs on how to "Open a Door to Hell":
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HERE IS THE RITUAL OF THE DOOR TO HELL. LET NO BROTHER OR SISTER UTTER IT. HE THAT IS MASTER OF SPIRITS, LET THREE SPIRITS THAT FOLLOW THE DRAGON BE PUT INTO THE EFFIGY OF THE ACCURSED. ONLY THEN CAN IT BE PURIFIED. YOU WILL KNOW IT IS TIME WHEN ITS EYES GLOW RED. TO ENTER THE UNSEEN WORLD, DESTROY THE PURIFIED EFFIGY WITH FIRE. THEN SHALL THE DOOR TO HELL BE OPENED. |
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— Note #8: Ritual of the Door to Hell, Chapter II Prologue
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Doing as follows, John suddenly turns into a Wretch and is seemingly transported into this world. There's nothing to do but crawl. However, after some time, Miriam can be seen with six stick dolls behind her. Getting close, rotoscope animation plays where she turns around and flashes a wicked smile. John wakes up from the nightmare and the game ends.
September 28th, 1987[]
A week after John's second failed exorcism with Amy, he experiences another nightmare where Chapter II takes place. Walking out of Snake Meadow Hill Church, he finds a newspaper clipping in the middle of a ritualistic circle with three decapitated thralls. Reading the newspaper, it quickly derails where an unknown voice degrades John for not killing Amy. After reading it, Amy's demonic voice can be heard that says, "YOU ARE MINE, PRIEST!". Cultists surround the circle, and the decapitated thralls are suddenly standing and are on fire. As Amy stares at John, his face contorts into agony as his body melts into a Wretch.
Once again, John is teleported into the Unseen World again. Crawling around, he finds an underpass with a traveling couple fixing their truck on a bridge. Walking under the bridge, John suddenly turns back to normal.
October 29th, 1987[]
The Unseen World appears once again, but it has a different layout. After avoiding the Peekaboo Demon in the New Haven Apartment Complex, there's a note nearby a Second Death ritual marking, written by Tiffany:
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My Beloved Gary, Alas, the mask is already stained with blood. My blood. The ritual is complete. You will not find me on this mortal plane, for I am BEYOND. Look for me in the Unseen World, if you dare. - Tiffany |
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— Note #22: Tiffany's Second Note, Chapter III
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Upon banishing the Peekaboo Demon, John returns back to Floor 5 to save Lisa from Alu's clutches. After doing so, John senses that a seal was broken "somewhere beyond", so he plays the Elevator Game to reach the Unseen World version of the 10th Floor. On this floor, the entire area is dimly lit and barren, except for occassional sightings of the Elevator Friend and Timmy. There's one room that doesn't have anything except for a window. Looking outside, there's a red cross in the sky.
The other room is where Tiffany awaits. Although John defeats her, there was no sign of the Martin Twins or Malphas, so he has no choice but to head home. However, returning to the elevator, the buttons don't work. There's a hole on the ground and "damnatio memorie" is around it. Jumping down the hole three times, John is transported into the 7th Floor. This is the last time the Unseen World is seen or mentioned.
Aftermath[]
The Unseen World is a unique area since it's mentioned by, seemingly, Gary and Tiffany, but we don't have any other confirmation as to what it really is. With context clues, we could summarize that it's a purgatory-esque location that's outside the normal world. There's an implied connection that stick dolls were former humans and are brought here by either Miriam or some other cult member. This world primarily exists in John's head/dreams, and the reasoning as to why "damnatio memorie" is there in Chapter III is that it's not supposed to exist. Overall, it's vague, and no amount of theory crafting can help explain what it is.
Trivia[]
- You can play the Elevator Game to enter the Unseen World and the 7th Floor whenever you want, but if you don't defeat Alu beforehand, there's a seal in front of Tiffany's room to block access and the screen loops in the 7th Floor.