EU copy played on a PlayStation 3 Super Slim.
Alice: Madness Returns very much assumes you have not played American McGee's Alice, and while that original game was usually bundled as a free download, this is very much a good thing. The original Alice is a clunky title on the 360 and PS3 and while it's third-person Unreal Engine action was fairly attractive back in the day it can be a slog to play, being heavily reliant on save scumming to make any progress.
Madness Returns however is a complete joy in comparison. Perfect? God no, it suffers a bit in that what was once a novel concept of "what if Alice in Wonderland but edgy?" has been tapped bone dry by other forms of media, with Madness Returns offering nothing new to say. But the gameplay? Leaps and bounds better by far. Platforming feels a lot more fluid and in line with modern design sensibilities and the array of weapons at your disposal feel incredibly satisfying to use. The variety of art styles within the different worlds can be incredibly gorgeous and creative too with Alice adopting a new dress to fit in with her surroundings.
American McGee obviously has a lot of love for this idea he's built for himself and you can see that in every part of this game. It's a shame Spicy Horse didn't really survive long after this and the rights for the property remain with EA, but after the lukewarm reaction to Alice: Otherlands it's a little difficult to see what the future of this franchise will be.
Alice: Madness Returns very much assumes you have not played American McGee's Alice, and while that original game was usually bundled as a free download, this is very much a good thing. The original Alice is a clunky title on the 360 and PS3 and while it's third-person Unreal Engine action was fairly attractive back in the day it can be a slog to play, being heavily reliant on save scumming to make any progress.
Madness Returns however is a complete joy in comparison. Perfect? God no, it suffers a bit in that what was once a novel concept of "what if Alice in Wonderland but edgy?" has been tapped bone dry by other forms of media, with Madness Returns offering nothing new to say. But the gameplay? Leaps and bounds better by far. Platforming feels a lot more fluid and in line with modern design sensibilities and the array of weapons at your disposal feel incredibly satisfying to use. The variety of art styles within the different worlds can be incredibly gorgeous and creative too with Alice adopting a new dress to fit in with her surroundings.
American McGee obviously has a lot of love for this idea he's built for himself and you can see that in every part of this game. It's a shame Spicy Horse didn't really survive long after this and the rights for the property remain with EA, but after the lukewarm reaction to Alice: Otherlands it's a little difficult to see what the future of this franchise will be.