American McGee’s Alice, released way back when in 2000, turned out to be a major cut hit for the PC after its release, with a huge, dedicated fanbase that adored the dark, violent take on Lewis Carroll’s classic tale.
Now, as predicted, McGee and his team at Spicy Horse are back, and taking Alice to new consoles and new worlds, and players even further down the rabbit hole…
Set 11 years after the first game, Alice: Madness Returns sees the titular heroine obtaining psychological assistance after the death of her family. Returning to Wonderland to ease the pain of her loss, she finds that her own insanity has twisted it yet again into a land of violence. Now she must again pick up her Vorpal Sword and charge in against the forces of evil.
At its time, the original Alice was critically-acclaimed for its unique look at an already-macabre book series, and quickly became a cult-classic with new copies of the game fetching $200 on eBay. But now, it can be questioned if the title can find success.
After all, the concept of goth-chic is all the rage these days, with the recent release of a Tim Burton-helmed “Alice in Wonderland” motion picture, and of course, the success of the “Twilight” series of books and films. Then again, Alice: Madness Returns will likely be far more grotesque than anything Burton could come up with, and the portrayal of the Mad Hatter would have Johnny Depp running away screaming.
And now, console gamers can join in the fun, with the title set to hit the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in 2011. Expect more on this game (and don’t be late!) in the coming months.
