FairFriend
Member
So GAF, I've be trying to trim my backlog for quite a while now, as documented in in this other thread. Usually I would just post a new review in the aforementioned thread but for this game I felt the need to make a proper LTTP thread. The reason being, I don't know how many copies Alice sold when it came out, but I can't help but thinking that more gamers ought to experience this title. And here's why!
Firstly let me tell you how gorgeous this game is. Wait, even better, let me show you some pics I took:
If you want you can take a look at my Imgur album, just be aware that some screens may be considered spoilerish.
The art direction of Alice, as you must have noticed, is really fantastic and very imaginative. Unfortunately, on the technical side of things, the game is less than perfect: generally speaking, one has the impression that the development team bit more than they could chew.
Mechanically the game is a very competent platformer and a somewhat clunky hack and slash, the main distraction being the camera which, more often than not, can't keep up with Alice's dashing left and right when fighting against the enemies.
The game, objectively speaking, has a few mechanical issues, but I don't feel like talking about them at length, since they don't detract much from the enjoyment of Alice's journey into her psyche, which I'd say is one of the two selling points of the games (the other one being the art direction).
Alice is a wonderful character and the world she lives in is perhaps even more interesting. The story takes quite a few turns during the game (which is notoriously lengthy); honestly speaking, I rushed through the Wonderland stages, in which the meaty portions of the game take place, to get to the interludes set in Victorian London, just to see how the story would progress and what other challenges Alice would have to face. I'm confident that many of you will grow fond of this character, and in more than one scene you will really feel for her, since the game doesn't shy away from a vivid and crude depiction of what it could mean to be a young woman, with no family, in those days.
TL; DR: In conclusion, if you have some tolerance for poorly implemented cameras, and if you are looking for a game which, for once, does keep the promise of being a mature exploration of the psyche of its protagonist, set aside a few evenings and buy Alice Madness Return. If you really get into the game, I would also recommend to buy the artbook, as it really showcases how much of a passion project Alice was for everyone involved.
Firstly let me tell you how gorgeous this game is. Wait, even better, let me show you some pics I took:
The Queen Domain, my favorite stage
Alice has an abundance of minigames, but none of them feels truly compelling.
The Valley of Tears, a recurring location, and one of my favorites. It exemplifies beautifully the overall style of the game
If you want you can take a look at my Imgur album, just be aware that some screens may be considered spoilerish.
The art direction of Alice, as you must have noticed, is really fantastic and very imaginative. Unfortunately, on the technical side of things, the game is less than perfect: generally speaking, one has the impression that the development team bit more than they could chew.
Mechanically the game is a very competent platformer and a somewhat clunky hack and slash, the main distraction being the camera which, more often than not, can't keep up with Alice's dashing left and right when fighting against the enemies.
The game, objectively speaking, has a few mechanical issues, but I don't feel like talking about them at length, since they don't detract much from the enjoyment of Alice's journey into her psyche, which I'd say is one of the two selling points of the games (the other one being the art direction).
Alice is a wonderful character and the world she lives in is perhaps even more interesting. The story takes quite a few turns during the game (which is notoriously lengthy); honestly speaking, I rushed through the Wonderland stages, in which the meaty portions of the game take place, to get to the interludes set in Victorian London, just to see how the story would progress and what other challenges Alice would have to face. I'm confident that many of you will grow fond of this character, and in more than one scene you will really feel for her, since the game doesn't shy away from a vivid and crude depiction of what it could mean to be a young woman, with no family, in those days.
The game can get really dark at times. Understandably so, given the subject.
TL; DR: In conclusion, if you have some tolerance for poorly implemented cameras, and if you are looking for a game which, for once, does keep the promise of being a mature exploration of the psyche of its protagonist, set aside a few evenings and buy Alice Madness Return. If you really get into the game, I would also recommend to buy the artbook, as it really showcases how much of a passion project Alice was for everyone involved.
