Hey everyone this is Meg with another First Impressions video and today I’ll be talking about Alice Madness Returns a sequel to PC game American McGee’s Alice.
Very few people had good things to say about this game, but so far I am pleasantly surprised!
Take a look at the video!
In Madness Returns, Alice has once again fallen into a psychological mess, and Wonderland reflects this new state of mind.
What is perhaps better in this story (compared to its predecessor) is the ability to discover past memories! These help Alice to find some solace, rid her of the guilt she feels and piece together the true events of the night her house burned down.
The Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare, Dormy, The Duchess and many more characters return in all their dark, demented glory! I feel the storybook cut scenes were a wonderful new addition to the story and added an ‘artsy’ touch.
The Gameplay however is a little old-fashioned, and relies very heavily on last-generation style platforming. This was a feature however that I liked a lot and it still played beautifully!
The level designs could be a bit linear in spots BUT overall it had good balance.
Toy weapons have been replaced with household objects which was a nice touch too considering Alice’s house is very central to the plot. My favourite weapon so far is the pepper grinder, the ability however to switch between weapon-types is both easy and fun!
The visuals and overall design is a thing of beauty. Striking images such as a statue of Alice crying or a giant-eyed teapot, prove that some real thought and imagination went into the overall look of Alice Madness Returns – it saddens me to think these small details have gone unnoticed.
The music is great, Chris Vrenna is not on board this time so far as I know but, again, the music has an old-fashioned feel to it. Levels have separate themes that you hear repeatedly and there are certain sounds that associate with actions. It has all the making so far of a memorable soundtrack.
Overall I am impressed with the game so far! The combat isn’t repetitive due to the upgrade system and variety of weapon-types; the return of old-fashioned platforming is a welcome change; the story is a nice follow on from the original (although perhaps not quite as innovative); and the visuals are wonderfully creative!
Check out the cinematic trailer!
The music pieces playing in this review, are from the Official Alice Madness Returns soundtrack available on iTunes, composed by Jason Tai. Here are the tracks in the order they appear:
1. Hyde Park
2. Vale of Tears
3. Main Theme
So what do you think? Are you enjoying the game? Did you like the original? Don’t forget to leave your comments and opinions in the section below!
For a complete look at the game, check out Rob’s Alice: Madness Returns Review!