Introduction
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Rogue Entertainment
Official Page: http://alice.ea.com/
More Resources
For You? For Me?
"You can take the blue pill, the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes." Without a doubt, I'd have to say that McGee and friends didn't really care what color the pills were -- they swallowed them all. Alice, the resulting brainchild, is truly one twisted little affair that changes our concept of what a great game can and cannot be.
The game is based off of the characters in Lewis Carroll's book Alice in Wonderland. Years and years ago, Disney's movie adaptation was a long time staple for my cousin and I; we would watch Alice in Wonderland for hours on end. I've never read the book, but our favorite scene has to be the Mad Hatter's tea party, the whole happy unbirthday song was classic. American McGee's Alice may be a step away from the Disney interpretation, but the game looks like it's going to be an instant classic amongst gaming folk.
Tell us more
All is not well. Wonderland is in trouble, and Alice seems to need quite a bit of help herself. The game starts out in what appears to be a sanitarium. Alice lies in a bed seemingly catatonic… voices mention something about a rabbit doll possibly helping her.
The story picks up quicky from there. We find out that the Queen of Hearts has been ruling over Wonderland in tremendously evil ways. Most of the population lives in fear and slavery. As in the movie, Rabbit meets Alice, but this time he has come to get help. Those that remain free in Wonderland are too weak to do anything; Alice is their only hope, aptly known amongst the peoples of Wonderland, as the chosen one.
Gameplay
As a game, Alice isn't quite the end all and be all. Alice isn't even remotely close to being the best in terms of AI or other things like that. In fact, in terms of action, this game falls pretty short of the current standard. Yet Alice is still a great game. How is this? When it comes to storytelling, puzzles, level design, and a host of other essential qualities, Alice truly brings us into our own little Wonderland. Playing this game solely for the action element is almost a waste of time. Alice is one of those rare games that plays more like a movie than an actual game.
Where Alice does excel is in story telling. Cut-scenes are numerous and informative. The whole ambience of the game is incredible. Simply running and gunning through these detailed filled environs would be a waste. Slow down and smell what the shrooms created on your way through.
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