An overlooked gem - Alice: Madness Returns

[Revisor]

Hello monsieurs and mesdames,
a great game appeared in 2011 and it was shamefully underrated and overlooked - Alice: Madness Returns.

It's a beautiful 3D platformer with an intriguing story woven around the original Alice in Wonderland and masterfully presented with regard to graphics, dialogues as well as voice acting.
On the surface it looks very cute but there are some dark undercurrents beneath the facade - Alice's guilt about her family's death, her abuse in the asylum, a drunk nurse blackmailing Alice.

I've been playing it for quite a few hours now and apart from a bug that was remedied by a direct .INI edit this game is flawless.

There is a similar praising thread on Steam Forums
http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2190851
Where someone compares Alice to Psychonauts.

Highly recommended!

[Heliocentric]

What of actually playing the game? I heard its very pretty but dumb mechanically/structurally.

[aoanla]

Given that I bounced off of Psychonauts, due to the poor quality platforming mechanics, I'm not sure this is a poor comparison, Heliocentric. (Psychonauts is lauded by most people, as far as I can tell, because they like the writing, not because it is clever mechanically. People who don't click with its sense of humour tend to notice the mechanics more. Similarly, I guess with Alice, if it's anything like the first Alice game, but with art-design rather than writing.)

[Cryptoshrimp]

The game is pretty fantastic. It looks amazing, the voice acting isn't terrible and the story is pretty cool. However, it has four hours of platforming stretched out into infinity and adds very little mechanical variation. I found it became quite a chore to play after a quarter of the game, and after what I guess is about three quarters, even the new visuals couldn't persuade me to play any further.

[Nalano]

What of actually playing the game? I heard its very pretty but dumb mechanically/structurally.

The mechanics are functional, but tend to be repetitive. I concur with Cryptoshrimp: Your desire to continue is directly related to just how much you wanna see the next level's visuals.

[Revisor]

I don't play many platformers (actually almost none) so I'm hardly an expert on platforming gameplay. I can however say that I'm having fun with it.

Aoanla may be on to something as in Alice as well as in Psychonauts I love the writing and the games draw me in because of their characters and art direction, not so much because of the gameplay (which is good but in this case secondary for me).

There is enough variation in the combat and the platforming puzzles (+ secrets, love that mechanic of shrinking to find hidden paths) so far.

[Roufuss]

I found the last act in particular a pretty extensive grind -- it wore out its welcome very early on (graphically and mechanically) and just seemed to drag on forever.

I think Cryptoshrimp was right on in what he wrote, because three quarters in it really became a chore to play.

The game is definitely stretched out and far, far longer than it needs to be. It almost feels like the developers just gave up at the end and stretched out that horrid fifth act.

Its worth the $7.50 or so I've seen it on sale just to experience it, but not really beyond that, imo as its a one and done game.. and even then, you might not even finish it.

[Ignorant Texan]

The several hour-long sessions I've had makes me very happy I paid $2.50 for it. Even if I never play it again, I received my money's worth.

[cosmicolor]

I bought this through the Steam sale myself, it's... alright. Looks pretty and the platforming is decent enough, but the combat is somewhat stale for how much of it there is, and my GPU doesn't much like the PhysX stuff. Also a pad is necessary since it uses mouse accelleration with no clear way to turn it off.

[trjp]

I've only played this on the 360 but I consider it one of the best looking video games ever made...

The platforming works OK - the combat is actually decent - if it has a problem, it's that most of the levels tend to outstay their welcome a bit - but you hammer-on because you know more astonishing visuals are coming...

If you hate action platformers - if you think all combat should be done on one button - if you dislike games which have 'lives' (lose them and you're set-back to a more distant checkpoint) then avoid this

If you have any care for the way a game can depict something amazing - take a peek

[Sūduruncis]

Like a lot of people I bought this game for 2.50$ on Amazon. To my surprise, the game blew me away. I can't think of many games that are more imaginative visually. The platforming and combat parts are solid as well, I can't say they are perfect but they do their job.
And I think we can compare this game to Psychonauts. I know it's a "holy grail" for a lot of people, but I had a chance to play this game for the first time shortly before I played Alice. I terms of gameplay - even with its flaws - Alice is better in my opinion. At least I felt that way.
For me this game turned out to be one of the best '2011 releases. Maybe it's because I picked it up from the bargain bin and didn't have big expectations, maybe I just have a weird taste. Anyway, this turned out to be a delightful surprise.

[Rii]

I don't think the game was overlooked as such; there was plenty of coverage leading up to release both here and elsewhere.

[Stense]

I picked this game up over the Christmas break. I've not gotten around to playing it yet as I've been pretty busy with other stuff, but I'm looking forward to giving it a go. I adored the first Alice game all those years ago. Interesting to hear the Psychonauts comparisons too, any game that is favourably compared to that is going to get my attention at least.

[Vexing Vision]

Got the game, played 2 hours, not going to play again.

Alice feels more linear than Super Mario. Occasionally, it hints at alternative routes, but blocks you with a high frustration ratio and, if necessary to make sure you're going the one path the game wants you, with invisible walls. The jumping mechanics are tedious and sometimes fail to trigger without any feedback of why this is the case. The combat is just tedious.

If the game actually were a combination of Psychonauts and Darksiders, it would be glorious. Now, it's an utterly dull game with an intriguing story, which makes the whole package even more disappointing.

[Memph]

It's a lot more like Darksiders than Psychonauts. Mostly with the combat style, but those who found Darksiders' combat simplistic will find Alice even more so. It works almost identically, 1 slash button, 1 bash button, 1 shoot and a dodge but with much fewer moves overall, oh and the autotargeting can completely screw you over at times. When there's large groups of enemies, picking out a prime target is tricky business.

I'm about halfway through (i think) and enjoying it, except for some tedious jumping sections involving invisible, moving platforms. Darksiders has much better depth and structure to it tbh, what with all the new mechanics employed as you progress. Each new section had me really wanting to plough onward, but with Alice, although it's still fun, i'm not so hooked.

As for Psychonauts, i bounced right off it. Constantly spawning enemies and having to hoover up so many little collectables scattered absolutely everywhere on each stage I found too tedious to be bothered with.

[Flint]

But Psychonauts only has constantly spawning enemies on one stage?

I've been replaying Psychonauts once again just now and it's mechanically as solid as it ever was. For all its amazing writing, it's still an excellent game underneath as well.

[Memph]

But Psychonauts only has constantly spawning enemies on one stage?

Ah, was it? It was long, long ago since I last tried it tbh. The last thing i remember was some boss thing chasing me round and around a cube and me fluffing up on the controls.

[nayon]

Looking at the trailer, it loos like a really boring game with great art direction.

[Flint]

Ah, was it? It was long, long ago since I last tried it tbh. The last thing i remember was some boss thing chasing me round and around a cube and me fluffing up on the controls.
Yeah, that's the second level of the game and the only one with constantly respawning enemies. I'd highly recommend giving the game another go.

[Rauten]

Bought it quite a while ago, shortly after release; Played it till it was bloody damn done; Loved it.

The platforming and combat mechanics both are rather simple and repetitive (only 4 weapons?! gtfo), but the story, the voice acting, the visuals, and those marvellous and beautiful cardboard-style 2D scenes won me over. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone, though.

[CuriousOrange]

Given that I bounced off of Psychonauts, due to the poor quality platforming mechanics, I'm not sure this is a poor comparison, Heliocentric. (Psychonauts is lauded by most people, as far as I can tell, because they like the writing, not because it is clever mechanically.

Nope, it's plauded for both. By me at least. The mechanics are fantastic. It just takes more than 5 seconds to build up and requires you persist and have patience.

I've played Alice Madness Returns through. Yes, the mechanics are fairly standard, it doesn't try anything original except visually. But considering the vast majority of games out there do nothing new visually or game wise it's worth praise for it imo.

Anyway, it's an all right game that looks amazing. If that's enough for you then get it, it's great. But it's not comparable to Pyschonauts quality wise.

[deano2099]

If I remember correctly, in Psychonauts you get a certain item in the third level which changes the platforming aspect entirely, really opening it up.

[aoanla]

Nope, it's plauded for both. By me at least. The mechanics are fantastic. It just takes more than 5 seconds to build up and requires you persist and have patience.

Not to turn this into a thread about Psychonauts, but: really? I found it rather clunky, and never bothered getting beyond the second level because of it. As I mentioned above, I also didn't click with the writing in the early game at all, so I didn't really have any inclination to continue. (Of course, I do acknowledge that I'm something of a minority here...)

[LongBlade]

Somewhere in the past I thought I heard some good buzz about it but don't remember anything more specific. Thematically it's not a title I would easily gravitate toward, but if it's available for under $5 it would be hard not to buy it just to look at it and see what it's about.

[magnolia_fan]

I bought it during xmas time but haven't played it yet. I'm finishing the first one instead.

[trjp]

Got the game, played 2 hours, not going to play again.

Alice feels more linear than Super Mario. Occasionally, it hints at alternative routes, but blocks you with a high frustration ratio and, if necessary to make sure you're going the one path the game wants you, with invisible walls. The jumping mechanics are tedious and sometimes fail to trigger without any feedback of why this is the case. The combat is just tedious.

If the game actually were a combination of Psychonauts and Darksiders, it would be glorious. Now, it's an utterly dull game with an intriguing story, which makes the whole package even more disappointing.

This is a prize example of how not to approach a video game.

You have to play the game which is offered - not the one you had in your head - not the one you'd prefer to have.

[Nalano]

You have to play the game which is offered - not the one you had in your head - not the one you'd prefer to have.

I concur. Go in with no expectations and you may find that you enjoy it. Come in expecting X and you'll always be disappointed that it isn't X.

Not every game needs to be a sandbox. Not every game needs to have a multiplayer element. Not every game has to be realistic. That goes towards publisher goals as well as consumer expectations.

[Vexing Vision]

This is a prize example of how not to approach a video game.

You have to play the game which is offered - not the one you had in your head - not the one you'd prefer to have.

I did play the game that's offered. I just saw elements in it that other games (which have been mentioned) have done better.

It was cheap, and I don't regret my purchase, but I'm not going back to Alice any time soon and I'd certainly not recommend it for it's game mechanics.

The story is intriguing, but I would recommend a new player that he's better off watching a longplay of it, if there ever is one.

[orcane]

The problem of AMR exactly comes from being mechanically similar to, and then falling short of previous games of that genre. You can't view that game in a vacuum, platformers have been done before and it doesn't take a detailed comparison to Psychonauts or Darksiders or even just the previous Alice game to notice that something's amiss. It's disappointing because the game does things wrong that these older games did better, not because it's "not Darksiders" or "not Psychonauts".

I played AMR and gave up during the 2nd 2D platforming section, after boredom already set in during the water level I just couldn't be arsed to repeat the same jump about five million times because the game couldn't decide if it wanted to acknowledge my double jumps or not, and all it took was one to fail to register and I was back at the checkpoint.

Good looking will never replace gameplay and pacing, and the simplistic combat, limited weapons, awful controls (slightly better with controller I assume, but didn't try), idiotic checkpointing all in one insanely repetitive package does not deserve to receive the high marks some people (especially in that Steam thread linked in the OP) claim it should have gotten.

[Giaddon]

I wouldn't call it a "gem" but it's a fine game. I think the combat gets a bad rap: it's easily my favorite combat of any platformer, and I prefer it to Darksiders (which to be fair I hated).

It is beautiful, but the levels are too long.

[Questionable]

On the surface it looks very cute but there are some dark undercurrents beneath the facade - Alice's guilt about her family's death, her abuse in the asylum, a drunk nurse blackmailing Alice. . .

. . .I've been playing it for quite a few hours now and apart from a bug that was remedied by a direct .INI edit this game is flawless. . .

. . .Highly recommended!

I think the game is pretty good. Subjectively, I absolutely loved playing it, but I have to admit that for me, the appeal is largely the visual design. I think you can tell if you're going to like the game by looking at screenshots beforehand - the gameplay is functional, but sometimes frustrates and seldom gets really good. Heliocentric is right on the money.

But. . . "Dark undercurrents"? The game gets terribly dark as it progresses.

EDIT: If the game were sold with a trigger warning on the packaging, stores wouldn't be able to display it on shelves :P