Ten years after a surprising re-interpretation of Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland, American McGee is back with the very same universe in Alice: Madness Returns. A pretty good idea considering how disappointing Bad Day L.A. was when it got released back in 2006. More recently, his episodic game based on Grimm's Fairy Tales turned out more decent though each episode only lasted 30 minutes. Now what about Alice's return? Is it still a disturbingly good title or does it simply fall short? To find out, just follow the white rabbit.
Alice is no ordinary child. The poor girl lost her parents in the fire that burnt their house to the ground and the trauma which resulted from it deeply affected her. Haunted by hellish nightmares, Alice must face her deepest fears again and go back to Wonderland, a place which is in fact the representation of the girl's psyche. Because what Alice needs above all are answers, because she wants to remember what happened that day in order to find some peace of mind. As a prisoner of her own illusions, she will have to dive deep inside her inner self and face the death which lurks around every corner of her troubled mind. In this very macabre atmosphere, you, the player, are her only hope of salvation, or are you really?
The story of Madness Returns usually unfolds in the form of 2D sequences which remind a lot of a paper puppet show. A plot that keeps chaining Alice to madness, away from sanity and reality. The graphical style of these cutscenes is undeniably good in spite of the awful compression of the videos which clearly do not do it justice. There are also in-engine cinematics but the great thing is that they never break the harmony of the art style, the characters remaining very faithful to their 2D counterparts. The voice cast should also be praised, the British accent of the different protagonists bringing them to life in an almost Dickensian fashion. Only Alice sometimes lacks the emotional involvement which should be hers when going through such ordeals.
There is clearly something very old school in the way Madness Returns has been designed. A good thing on certain aspects, a regression on others. First, great satisfaction comes from the fact that the game is a nice return to a genre which no longer is the number 1 choice in today's video game industry. At a time when First Person Shooters have become the safe bet to make good money, it is great to be able to enjoy a good old platformer and everything that comes with it. Precision and good timing are then required to apprehend the many dangers of Wonderland, and in all fairness, Madness Returns is a nice tribute to the old days, even though some things feel a bit outdated.
The levels are filled with hidden paths and collectibles (memories, bottles, etc) and they can only be discovered thanks to Alice's ability to shrink. By maintaining Lb, the British girl can become so tiny that the change of perspective allows her to see things she would normally not be able to see. Invisible (sometimes moving) platforms or even secret passages can be revealed to the player by using this ability; an inviting way to search your surroundings thoroughly. Shrinking can also serve as some kind of GPS system, as you will also be able to see hidden directions on walls to avoid getting lost. Not that getting lost is really possible given the linear structure of the different levels. Controls work well overall, but there are some instances when Alice will be blocked though there is nothing in her way. It isn't that big a deal most of the time, but it sometimes feels that the game lacks a bit of polish.
Considering that this generation of new consoles finally allowed to experience open world experiences to the fullest and to be able to fulfill the player's desire for freedom, it is a bit of a shame that each level of Madness Returns is completely independent and that backtracking is made impossible. It actually makes sense story-wise (as much as sense can be found in Alice's illusions), but it would have been a nice improvement over the first game to offer a bit more freedom. Some will also blame the lack of originality in gameplay mechanics and level design; Alice runs, jumps, pulls a whole lot of levers, slides down ramps, etc. Nothing new then, but that's also why you can say that Madness Returns offers the same type of journey as, for example, Conker Bad Fur Day and Psychonauts. True, it also borrows some of their most awkward moments (hello invisible walls!) but it is nonetheless a great ride. The tribute to classic platformers reaches its height when Spicy Horse's title turns into a classy-looking 2D game set in an Asian type of environment.
Wonderland being inhabited by strange and dangerous creatures, Alice is also forced to use brutal force to survive. However frail you might think she is, she does not hesitate to slaughter all those who stand in her way, thanks to a real arsenal. The butcher knife is obviously back, but there is more; the hobbyhorse is dedicated to powerful melee attacks, the teapot is Wonderland's version of a grenade launcher, the pepper grinder is another ranged assault weapon which looks more like a machine gun (and can also be used to season floating pig snouts to reveal secret passageways), and there is finally Alice's umbrella (very useful to throw enemy projectiles back at them). each weapon can be upgraded provided you take the time to collect enough teeth. Yes, you read right, the game's currency comes in the form of teeth.
Once again, the combat system is pretty standard, with the possibility to lock on to your enemies by pressing LT and dodge their attacks with Rb. Each encountered foe requires a particular tactic and sometimes a bit of patience. Even though you cannot expect the gameplay to be as deep as, say, God of War or Bayonetta, combat is still really enjoyable and fun. Well, except maybe when the camera angle due to the lock on system gets in the way. Indeed, because the camera is set to close to the main character, it is sometimes hard to anticipate your adversaries' reactions and keep an eye on them. Things can also get messy when pressing LT does not lock on the proper target. Knowing that Alice can be up against more than 6 enemies at a time, I'll let you imagine how frustrating it can get. The only solution is then to always be on the move by pressing the dodge button as much as possible.
When Alice's life meter starts to be very low, you enter a kind of berserker mode which gives the young heroine a chance to take the upper hand for a few seconds. When in Hysteria mode, the game turns to black and white and again, the visual style is particularly classy, while it lasts. It won't be long though, so don't think that you always have enough time to defeat all your enemies. Combat will not be your sole activity in Wonderland as the game tries to offer a certain amount of variety gameplay-wise: a good old-shoot-them up once in a while, a simple ground puzzle at other times, or even a musical minigame to give you a few examples. Nothing really worth remembering however, but these sequences are neither long nor challenging so they never become annoying.
Before talking about performance per se, I think it is best if we first focus on the artistic direction of the game. I am going to go on a limb here and say that, to me, the art style is just amazing. How can one not be enraptured by such a rich world and its odd inhabitants, how can one not embark upon this journey beyond sanity? Sometimes very colorful and detailed, sometimes more industrial or uncluttered, the world of Madness Returns conveys the same experience as the discovery of the work of an impressionist painter. Come to think of it, maybe that's why Wonderland is threatened by an evil train? After all, Monet did such a great job at portraying trains back in the 19th century. But let's not get carried away. What should be remembered about Madness Returns' visuals is that they are truly unique, disturbing but paradoxically so inviting too. Needless to say that it is a nice break from all the realistic-looking games we see today. To think there is more Burton in this game than in the last Alice in Wonderland movie... Now wait, that's one hell of a praise for the game!
From a technical standpoint, I guess it will depend on which version of the game you get to play. On PC, with the 1080p resolution, antialiasing and a few more effects (like for example those made possible with PhysX), the art style is very well-supported by the graphics. Yes, it is true that the textures are not all detailed enough (to the point they sometimes have a cel-shaded look), but subjectively speaking, it does not prevent the game from looking great. Framerate is oddly locked at 30 fps but it is possible to edit the engine file and change it to 60 fps. There are a few slowdowns as well as some occasional freezes, but nothing bad enough to ruin the experience. The console versions are of course a bit rougher around the edges. There is for example no AA on Xbox 360, the framerate is locked at 30 fps (but some slowdowns can be noticed at times, on PS3 mostly) and the game looks a bit less sharp overall. That being said, the game still looks good overall, especially thanks to its impeccable art style.
To finish this article, we thought you might enjoy a leap in time, back in 2001 when American McGee's Alice was released. Graphics and gameplay may be dated now, but being able to play the first episode for free is a nice gift to the players. Here are then the first 10 minutes of the game that started it all for American McGee.
Once again, many thanks to my friend Plumb for making sure not too many mistakes were left in the review. :)
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All comments (13)
Commented on 2011-06-27 17:06:39Good read, Driftwood. :)
Commented on 2011-06-27 17:08:17 In reply to SethGood read, Driftwood. :)
You're right, people must buy this game. ^^
Commented on 2011-06-27 18:16:32but I will play it with the nvidia card, those physx effects look SWEET
Did anyone here play Scrapland by American Macgee? It was a futurama + GTA style game on PC and Xbox. I was wondering if its worth tracking down
Commented on 2011-06-27 18:36:08
Commented on 2011-06-27 18:37:39 In reply to Doom_Bringerbut I will play it with the nvidia card, those physx effects look SWEET
Did anyone here play Scrapland by American Macgee? It was a futurama + GTA style game on PC and Xbox. I was wondering if its worth tracking down
Commented on 2011-06-27 18:48:05
Commented on 2011-06-27 19:59:58
Commented on 2011-06-27 20:31:31 In reply to GangstaNipyou only have to look at the constant too-ing and fro-ing of opinions regarding sites like gamespot and ign to know this. one week people claim ign's credibility has gone out the window, the next week they say their opinion is valid. and the only thing that changed between them is that they gave that hyped exclusive a poor review the first week, and then gave the hyped exclusive a decent review the week after.
that's generally how it works tho, whether people want to admit it or not. i consider this review comparable to my own feeling towards the game, and thus i consider it a better review then those that slated it. but for someone who disliked the game, well, those "other" sites probably have the "better" more "fitting" review.
Commented on 2011-06-27 20:48:36
Commented on 2011-06-27 21:07:42 In reply to KORNdogyou only have to look at the constant too-ing and fro-ing of opinions regarding sites like gamespot and ign to know this. one week people claim ign's credibility has gone out the window, the next week they say their opinion is valid. and the only thing that changed between them is that they gave that hyped exclusive a poor review the first week, and then gave the hyped exclusive a decent review the week after.
that's generally how it works tho, whether people want to admit it or not. i consider this review comparable to my own feeling towards the game, and thus i consider it a better review then those that slated it. but for someone who disliked the game, well, those "other" sites probably have the "better" more "fitting" review.
Commented on 2011-06-28 00:33:33Most of the time I question if they've even played the game they're reviewing.
There is no such thing as a good review. You have to be smart enough to look at the overall picture which includes community response.
Your personal bias obviously comes into play too. There are some games that are reviewed to be shit but are brilliant to someone else. My friend and clearly many others were obsessed with Shadowrun and it's considered one of the biggest disappointments this gen.
Commented on 2011-06-28 10:32:41
Commented on 2011-06-28 12:22:51 In reply to TinksMost of the time I question if they've even played the game they're reviewing.
There is no such thing as a good review. You have to be smart enough to look at the overall picture which includes community response.
Your personal bias obviously comes into play too. There are some games that are reviewed to be shit but are brilliant to someone else. My friend and clearly many others were obsessed with Shadowrun and it's considered one of the biggest disappointments this gen.