Review - Alice: Madness Returns

Every once in a while a game comes out that really surprises us and completely knocks us for six when we least expected it. This year it looks like that title is going to be Alice: Madness Returns. Serving as the follow up to 2000’s American McGee’s Alice, an enjoyable action adventure title that never really filled its undoubted potential. Set eleven years after the events of the first game, and once again following the titular Alice as she struggles to come to terms with the mental anguish and confusion that followed the death of her parents.

Having spent her younger years in Rutledge Asylum, she is now living in an orphanage under the guidance of a psychiatrist by the name of Angus Bumby. As before the game is based predominantly within the confines of Wonderland, although things have changed for the worse and it’s a hell of a lot more dangerous this time around than it has ever been before.

What really makes Madness Returns stand out from the other games on the market is the absolutely phenomenal graphical direction. Now, we often speak about how graphics don’t make a game, and we certainly stand by that, but when you’re talking about a title that represents descent into madness and the twisting of an old fairytale into something altogether more sinister, the graphics really can make all the difference. And make no mistake, this game is absolutely gorgeous.

Of course, that would count for nothing if it didn’t play well, so it’s perhaps a little fortunate that its platform-cum-action adventure stylings offer one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences of the last few years. It doesn’t necessarily do anything particularly new, but it’s all wrapped up so we’ll thanks to the breathtaking presentation and warped storytelling that it all just seems to gel together perfectly. If Lewis Carroll was alive today, we are positive that this is precisely the kind of vision he would have had for his best known work.

The whole feel of the game is simply astonishing, from the enemies right the way through to the layout of the levels, it seems that McGee knew exactly what he was looking for and made sure that he got it from his brand new production house, Spicy Horse. As things really start to heat up after the initial introduction to Wonderland the game manages to grow into itself continually upping the game just when you think you’ve seen it all.

The levels range from bright, vivid, sprawling landscapes to dark and twisted steam punk inspired environments and everything in between. All the characters from the original fairytale make an appearance, with the Cheshire Cat proving to be just as unsettling as he was in the original game all those years ago.

The gameplay itself switches effortlessly between platforming and hack and slash style action adventure, and while the combat system is far from groundbreaking it proves to be most satisfactory. You can lock onto your enemies with the touch of a shoulder button, cycling between targets with the right stick making for a very fluid experience. You can alternate between close and long range weapons effortlessly, with different situations and puzzles requiring the use of each in order to progress.

Madness Returns gets its learning curve right on the sweet spot with the game rarely challenging to the point of frustration, while ensuring that things aren’t a simply walk in the park for more experienced players. The check points prove to be neither too generous nor too unfair, offering just enough mild annoyance to ensure you do your best to keep Alice alive lest you face a five minute trek back to where you left off.

The story is twisted and surprisingly psychological as we follow the delusions of Alice’s sick mind right the way through to an epic final encounter which, unlike many modern games, actually takes a good ten to fifteen hours to reach (depending on how much exploration you decide to partake in throughout the stunningly crafted levels), and serves to leave an indelible mark on players’ minds.

In short, Alice: Madness Returns is a simply unmissable experience that happens to be a bloody great video game at the same time. If this is a sign of what we can expect from Spicy Horse in future, then sign us up!