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Alice: Madness Returns Revealed By EA, American McGee

Somehow, I feel like Tim Burton is behind this.

At its Summer Showcase event, EA announced the sequel to the classic shooter-platformer  American McGee's Alice, titled Alice: Madness Returns. Though it may no longer have the name of series' creator American McGee in the title, the designer behind Grim and Bad Day LA will helm this new entry in the Alice franchise from his Shanghai-based studio Spicy Horse (which is still a great name for a developer).  
 
Madness Returns will once again take players back into Wonderland and also into the real world of London, where Alice will have to use the fantasy Wonderland as a weapon to fight her enemies and her own madness.

 

 Yep, that's a twisted Wonderland, all right.
 Yep, that's a twisted Wonderland, all right.

What made the original Alice a memorable release was its very distinctive visual style. Alice was released just as Quake 3 engine licensing was catching on, and most of the early games on id Software's new tech just looked a lot like Quake 3: brown and grey-iron environments that shot for realistic looking environments (or, at least, as realistic as a floating platform in a dark void could be). By contrast, Alice was driven by its dark interpretation of Wonderland, and, as a result, it was a game with more stylistic flair than games from that era. It was one of the first games driven by art style more than a desire to replicate reality. Alice didn't look like other games, and it was better for it.  

 


From these screenshots, it sure looks like Madness Returns is aiming to once again capture that twisted and gothic art style that made the first game memorable. We'll see if that stylish flair holds our attention a second time when Alice: Madness Returns launches in 2011 on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.

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mattbodega

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Edited By mattbodega

At its Summer Showcase event, EA announced the sequel to the classic shooter-platformer  American McGee's Alice, titled Alice: Madness Returns. Though it may no longer have the name of series' creator American McGee in the title, the designer behind Grim and Bad Day LA will helm this new entry in the Alice franchise from his Shanghai-based studio Spicy Horse (which is still a great name for a developer).  
 
Madness Returns will once again take players back into Wonderland and also into the real world of London, where Alice will have to use the fantasy Wonderland as a weapon to fight her enemies and her own madness.

 

 Yep, that's a twisted Wonderland, all right.
 Yep, that's a twisted Wonderland, all right.

What made the original Alice a memorable release was its very distinctive visual style. Alice was released just as Quake 3 engine licensing was catching on, and most of the early games on id Software's new tech just looked a lot like Quake 3: brown and grey-iron environments that shot for realistic looking environments (or, at least, as realistic as a floating platform in a dark void could be). By contrast, Alice was driven by its dark interpretation of Wonderland, and, as a result, it was a game with more stylistic flair than games from that era. It was one of the first games driven by art style more than a desire to replicate reality. Alice didn't look like other games, and it was better for it.  

 


From these screenshots, it sure looks like Madness Returns is aiming to once again capture that twisted and gothic art style that made the first game memorable. We'll see if that stylish flair holds our attention a second time when Alice: Madness Returns launches in 2011 on the PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3.
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lethalki11ler

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Edited By lethalki11ler

liked the 1st one So might get this

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Civraz

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Edited By Civraz

cool.

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damswedon

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Edited By damswedon

hmmm I don't know, McGee hasn't really done anything good in a long time. But I'm willing to give him a chance.

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Sticky_Pennies

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Edited By Sticky_Pennies

As long as it isn't Bad Day LA.

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Tordah

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Edited By Tordah

I remember really digging the first Alice game. The visuals and artstyle were definitely the main attraction, so I hope they can carry that torch.

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superscott597

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Edited By superscott597

Original was a classic, hopefully this one will rectify some of the gameplay problems and introduce some cool mechanics. It is Wonderland, after all. There must be some cool things they could do there...

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hagridore

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Edited By hagridore

Apprehensively excited.

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Althox

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Edited By Althox

I'm interested, and I look forward for more information about it.

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metalsnakezero

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Edited By metalsnakezero

The Alice that we know and love is back.

 Here is the other Alice that we know and love
 Here is the other Alice that we know and love
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OmegaPirate

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Edited By OmegaPirate

Its going to be Dantes inferno in wonderland Feat Alice (and an Isaac Clarke dlc skin)

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luce

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Edited By luce

Oh god Bad Day LA

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ZmillA

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Edited By ZmillA

" We'll see if that stylish flair can our attention a second time"

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radar5

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Edited By radar5

the first was one of my favorites.  I can't wait for this one.

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NikoAlexander57

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Edited By NikoAlexander57

This is amazing.

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JarenFace

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Edited By JarenFace

I am a huge fan of the first game, and I admit, Alice in Wonderland in general. I'm really happy that this is finally announced and really dig how it's looking so far.

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Cold_Wolven

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Edited By Cold_Wolven

Never played the first but I really would like to play this. Screenshots look real good so here's hoping a good game to match those visuals.
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Milkman

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Edited By Milkman

First off, American McGee is a hack so I perfectly understand why EA wouldn't want to attach his name to this. Also, I'm kind of over this whole "edgy" Alice in Wonderland thing that everyone has always tried to achieve for whatever reason. After that Tim Burton absolute shitfest, I'm pretty burned out on Alice. But if McGee can actually manage to make the game compelling from a gameplay perspective, then I'm in. Until then, I'm skeptical.

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BradBrains

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Edited By BradBrains

interesting for sure. i always liked the darker verson of wonderland so heres hoping its at least good in style

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cstrang

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Edited By cstrang
@OmegaPirate said:
" Its going to be Dantes inferno in wonderland Feat Alice (and an Isaac Clarke dlc skin) "
It'd be more shooter-y than that.  I'm guessing you didn't play the original?
 
Also, Kessler, McGee's Alice is what Burton's Alice should have been.  Fuck this Disney bullshit.
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jeffk38uk

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Edited By jeffk38uk

Based on the screens, it looks pretty spiffty. hopefully we'll get more information soon.

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Ragdrazi

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Edited By Ragdrazi

Well, this is rock right here, it is.
 

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OmegaPirate

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Edited By OmegaPirate
@cstrang said:
" @OmegaPirate said:
" Its going to be Dantes inferno in wonderland Feat Alice (and an Isaac Clarke dlc skin) "
It'd be more shooter-y than that.  I'm guessing you didn't play the original?  Also, Kessler, McGee's Alice is what Burton's Alice should have been.  Fuck this Disney bullshit. "
Oh I did play the original, im just saying from the screen-shots, it looks very - 'Character Action Game' like. and more in the Vein of a D-I. 
 
It's hard to grasp too much from a few screen-shots and trailer of course - but this is just gut feeling
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b33

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Edited By b33
@cstrang said:
" @OmegaPirate said:
" Its going to be Dantes inferno in wonderland Feat Alice (and an Isaac Clarke dlc skin) "
It'd be more shooter-y than that.  I'm guessing you didn't play the original?  Also, Kessler, McGee's Alice is what Burton's Alice should have been.  Fuck this Disney bullshit. "
i think there is a mcGee's Alice movie in the making at least i think there was one
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RipTheVeins

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Edited By RipTheVeins
@OmegaPirate said:
" @cstrang said:
" @OmegaPirate said:
" Its going to be Dantes inferno in wonderland Feat Alice (and an Isaac Clarke dlc skin) "
It'd be more shooter-y than that.  I'm guessing you didn't play the original?  Also, Kessler, McGee's Alice is what Burton's Alice should have been.  Fuck this Disney bullshit. "
Oh I did play the original, im just saying from the screen-shots, it looks very - 'Character Action Game' like. and more in the Vein of a D-I.  It's hard to grasp too much from a few screen-shots and trailer of course - but this is just gut feeling "
I think I'd be okay with a more character-action-y focused gameplay, as long as the combat feels visceral and doesn't focus the action on "insane combos."  That would almost certainly do better than the over the head third-person knife shooter style that the first game was since it was kinda shallow even when it was originally released.   
 
But, whatever, as long as this game delivers on the great atmosphere and artstyle along with another great soundtrack, then I'm all for this game.   
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Brackynews

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Edited By Brackynews

I don't care for McGee's games at the best of times, but it's somewhat depressing that even he can't escape sequelitis.

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Edited By splodge
@Milkman: Just curious, what ya mean "hack"?
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Milkman

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Edited By Milkman
@Splodge said:
" @Milkman: Just curious, what ya mean "hack"? "
I mean, most of games that he makes are shiity.
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Edited By omgJOHN

I really dug the first one, and this one seems to tap into the original very well. Though American McGee hasn't made a successful game since Alice, so we'll see what happens I suppose.

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Edited By buzz_killington

Introducing American McGee as the man behind Bad Day LA is not doing him any good.

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Edited By scottygrayskull

I'm tossed. I liked the original game, but it hasn't aged well. At least AM isn't putting his name on the product this time. Guess sales of his more recent titles taught him not to brag.

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Edited By dazzhardy

If Giant Bomb had a facebook-esque "like" button, I'd be clicking the **** out of that ****er right now.

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Edited By jonnyboy

American McGee Fuck Yeah!

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bigchief

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Edited By bigchief

I love the look of this game. I missed the first one, but I've heard good things about it. Hope this one delivers.

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dancinginfernal

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Edited By dancinginfernal

I LOVED AM's Alice. 
 
Looking forward to this.

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KillyDarko

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Edited By KillyDarko

Niiice! The first one was great for the time of its release.

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dorko21

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Edited By dorko21

I have seriously waited years for this! Hot damn it better be good! Can't wait any longer!

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themartyr

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Edited By themartyr

I remember the artstyle in the original really grabbed my attention in a sea of much blander games. Unfortunately in today's gaming climate I don't think it'll be standing out nearly as much.

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Kyle

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Edited By Kyle

I always liked the concept of Alice, so as much as I want to be excited about this, American McGee will never be able to trick me into thinking he is going to produce a good game. Ever.

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Sooperspy

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Edited By Sooperspy

never played the first game but have heard good thing of it. Looks cool too.

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ryanwho

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It always struck me that if you read the twisted Alice in Wonderland story and thought "gosh this would be so much more awesomer if everything looked like a bad metalhead tattoo" you kind of missed the point. I agree, this Mcgee character is a hack.

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deactivated-5ba16609964d9

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So American McGee is going back to the only game he made that was actually playable.  Good for him.

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Roger778

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Edited By Roger778

I am amazed.  I never thought we would ever be getting a sequel to American McGee's Alice for a long time.  The original game was a disturbing, and beautiful game, but it was also quite hard. If the developers can replicate perfectly the disturbing atmosphere, and the twisted graphics the original game had, and also improve the combat, then I will definitely buy this game when it comes out next year.
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heghmohqib

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Edited By heghmohqib

Didn't really care for the original but the Music was F'ing great.  Super Creepy Insane.  Love it.

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pslayer666

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Edited By pslayer666

I can't wait for this game. I absolutely adored the first one!!!!

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Rowr

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Edited By Rowr
@Milkman said:
" First off, American McGee is a hack so I perfectly understand why EA wouldn't want to attach his name to this. Also, I'm kind of over this whole "edgy" Alice in Wonderland thing that everyone has always tried to achieve for whatever reason. After that Tim Burton absolute shitfest, I'm pretty burned out on Alice. But if McGee can actually manage to make the game compelling from a gameplay perspective, then I'm in. Until then, I'm skeptical. "
o whatever, your always skeptical. You live in a perpetual state of skept.
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TaliciaDragonsong

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This looks so ace! ^_^

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MysticFlavour

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Edited By MysticFlavour

I've always loved the concept of a dark and twisted wonderland. I liked the first game, however I feel like American McGee hasn't done anything interesting since. So I'm a bit skeptical but I'm hoping for the best.

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Edited By TheMoD

Wow seeing this game in hd o.o it looks awesome. Looks like american mcgee is back on track