Author Topic: Alice: The Madness Returns - EA Presents an American McGee Joint (Read 3523 times)

Joe Molotov · « **on:** June 17, 2011, 05:13:03 PM »

I haven't played it, but Alice's hair is sick!

Unreal Engine 3 haters owned, UE3 does hair now.

MyNameIsMethodis · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2011, 05:18:31 PM »

giantbomb says its good

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2011, 05:19:47 PM »

Yeah, I watched the GB Quick Look. It looked good to me, I'm downloading it on Steam now.

MyNameIsMethodis · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2011, 05:35:44 PM »

I was going to get it on Steam but you don't get the free version of Alice 1 with Steam.

EA

demi · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2011, 05:41:06 PM »

It's gonna be $35 at KMart in a couple weeks, getting it for $15 with my coupon.

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2011, 06:12:29 PM »

willing to buy game at 20 bucks for hair tech alone

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2011, 06:21:06 PM »

Quote from: Phoenix Dark

The hair looked so real that I wanted to smell of it. 9.5/10

chronovore · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2011, 04:40:19 AM »

OK, in the "What are you playing" thread, Green Man was extolling the utter flaccidness of gameplay. Was there a change, if you'll excuse the parallel with your Queen, of heart?

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2011, 03:01:06 PM »

Played it for about 3 hours, just got the Mad Hatter put back together. Awesome game so far.

Sho Nuff · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2011, 06:08:40 PM »

Is it still mostly jump-float-jump-float-jump-float

chronovore · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:10:52 PM »

I'm doing jump-float a lot in inFamous 1 and digging it, so I'm probably OK with that.

choco parfait · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:31:50 PM »

Will definitely get this game at some point. The style is awesome, the modern graphics even more so, and Alice's various outfits look really fun to try out.

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:48:01 PM »

The "Origin Exclusive" pre-order dresses and weapons are unlockable in any PC version by editing an INI line.

Not that I'm complaining, no not at all. I like the Checkmate dress and the Vorpal Cleaver and Octo Grinder are nice too.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2011, 10:49:26 PM »

Quote from: Joe Molotov® EDGE™ on June 18, 2011, 10:48:01 PM

The "Origin Exclusive" pre-order dresses and weapons are unlockable in any PC version by editing an INI line.

EA

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #14 on:** June 21, 2011, 08:15:13 PM »

played about an hour of it.

game is pretty alright. nothing too special about it. i can do without the arena combat stuff though.

chronovore · « **Reply #15 on:** July 03, 2011, 11:41:34 AM »

Quote from: demi on June 17, 2011, 05:41:06 PM

It's gonna be $35 at KMart in a couple weeks, getting it for $15 with my coupon.

Ah, so this is how you got it for $15 bucks? What was the additional $5 savings?

demi · « **Reply #16 on:** July 04, 2011, 11:09:28 PM »

I just started the original Alice. What a bad, bad game. Is this what you PC losers had to deal with back then?

Himu · « **Reply #17 on:** July 04, 2011, 11:58:41 PM »

How are the cheevos in this? I'm almost to 8k

demi · « **Reply #18 on:** July 05, 2011, 05:38:58 AM »

Uh, you can play it just once. I'm starting on Nightmare.

chronovore · « **Reply #19 on:** July 05, 2011, 09:41:58 AM »

Somewhere, demi is laughing at you.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Personally, I'm accustomed to it by now.

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demi · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2011, 12:38:03 AM »

new Alice is fucking awesome. its like a wacko tim burton movie. old Alice is a horrible, horrible game. lol pc gaming.

Himu · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2011, 12:38:42 AM »

how is nightmare difficulty?

demi · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2011, 12:44:34 AM »

i only did a little bit of the intro, havent really fought many enemies. it plays just like zelda. z-targeting and shit.

Himu · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2011, 12:45:20 AM »

Z-target? Should be easy peasy.

Sho Nuff · « **Reply #24 on:** July 08, 2011, 03:11:29 AM »

Here is the story of the original Alice:

"HAY GUYS LET'S MAKE A PLATFORMER WITH THE QUAKE 3 ENGINE"

"That sounds distinguished mentally-challenged, but I guess I'll use your licensee money to go into outer space, or some shit"

"MY VISION IS COMPLETE"

"DERP"

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

chronovore · « **Reply #25 on:** July 08, 2011, 08:33:03 AM »

I überLOL'd.

demi · « **Reply #26 on:** July 08, 2011, 08:49:55 AM »

Why was Green Man trolling the shit out of this game? It's awesome. Damn underaged kids thinking they have opinions.

demi · « **Reply #27 on:** July 08, 2011, 09:24:10 AM »

Um, not really. LOL

Vale of Tears was great to look at, and now the Hatter's domain. Already a nice variety of locales. And I'm yet in Chapter 1. If Chapter 3 gets "better" then I'm in for a treat.

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #28 on:** July 09, 2011, 11:32:35 AM »

what? chapter 2's underwater (and above water) areas were gorgeous. (i also liked the industrial areas, but i am running it on the superior pc platform.) chapter 3 is stunning, and 4 is OH EM GEE

demi · « **Reply #29 on:** July 09, 2011, 01:09:34 PM »

I dont even know what that means. When the game is at its best?

Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #30 on:** July 09, 2011, 02:03:14 PM »

chapter 5 is fucknuts creepy awesome. i dunno where you're getting this "low rez" texture business, unless you're a filthy console poor in which case you deserve the misery of 2006-era visuals

demi · « **Reply #31 on:** July 10, 2011, 05:49:50 AM »

Beat it on Nightmare without using Hysteria once... this game is ridiculously easy.

Story is straight up wacko and gets all grimdark. RAEP RAEP RAEP

Awesome game though from start to finish. Green Man sent to bed early without supper.

chronovore · « **Reply #32 on:** July 10, 2011, 07:09:32 AM »

Did you end up finishing the original game? How bad was it?

demi · « **Reply #33 on:** July 10, 2011, 07:23:00 AM »

garbage

chronovore · « **Reply #34 on:** July 10, 2011, 07:35:52 AM »

I've had the PC game forever and always thought about playing it, never got around to it. Same with Clive Barker's UNDYING, of which I at least played the first hour. Ah, EA's failed era of celebrity branded games...

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #35 on:** July 10, 2011, 05:49:53 PM »

Quote from: demi on July 10, 2011, 05:49:50 AM

Story is straight up wacko and gets all grimdark. RAEP RAEP RAEP

Which made for some interesting visuals...

spoiler (click to show/hide)

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Van Cruncheon · « **Reply #36 on:** July 10, 2011, 08:19:09 PM »

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #37 on:** January 16, 2012, 08:02:56 PM »

Just made it to the Hatter's clockwork city or whatever, I like this game so far and, yeah, it's better than Super Mario Galaxy. :dealwithitdog

Himu · « **Reply #38 on:** January 16, 2012, 08:05:00 PM »

Quote from: Great Rumbler on January 16, 2012, 08:02:56 PM

Just made it to the Hatter's clockwork city or whatever, I like this game so far and, yeah, it's better than Super Mario Galaxy. :dealwithitdog

christ

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #39 on:** January 16, 2012, 08:09:43 PM »

Sorry, Himu, I gotta bring the Real Talk to this forum. Alice is the defining platformer of this generation, Mario done get his backside slapped by American McGee.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

:trollface

[close]

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Alice is pretty fun though, really cool/twisted art too.

[close]

Himu · « **Reply #40 on:** January 16, 2012, 08:10:59 PM »

Game is good at the beginning but then it gets repetitive as all fuck because the game gives you every tool set at the beginning and expects to run with the same formula the entire game.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #41 on:** January 16, 2012, 08:14:12 PM »

Then I guess it's a good thing I only spend $2.50 on it!

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #42 on:** January 16, 2012, 09:51:01 PM »

camera gets shitty, checkpoints are a bunch of bullshit, yeah it's pretty and all but the further i get the less i am enjoying it

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #43 on:** January 16, 2012, 09:55:19 PM »

I enjoyed it all through the game.

chronovore · « **Reply #44 on:** May 18, 2013, 01:47:38 PM »

Quote from: demi on July 04, 2011, 11:09:28 PM

I just started the original Alice. What a bad, bad game. Is this what you PC losers had to deal with back then?

It really is crap, and I'd been looking forward with misguided hope about it for years.
:weepsopenly.gif

Quote from: Eel O'Brian on January 16, 2012, 09:51:01 PM

camera gets shitty, checkpoints are a bunch of bullshit, yeah it's pretty and all but the further i get the less i am enjoying it

I'm worried that's how I'm going to feel about this before long. I'm already feeling like most levels are spoon-feeding me the path. I never feel clever about having worked out the path to secret items. I kinda like the fights, but I'm already seeing where the camera and environment are sometimes at odds.

Sho Nuff · « **Reply #45 on:** May 19, 2013, 12:34:58 PM »

Gotta sell them Hot Topic t-shirts

chronovore · « **Reply #46 on:** May 20, 2013, 02:30:31 AM »

Were there Hot Topic T-shirts for this?

I mean, Revengeance gets UniQlo Ts, but I guess the goth loli thing is more in le Hot Topic oeuvre.

I was surprised to see the copyright info says, "Game Code ©2011 Spicy Horse, All Other Assets ©2011 Electronic Arts." I'd forgotten that the first game was a big EA effort, trying to create a new franchise, build up a celebrated game "luminary," etc. I guess they own all the rights, and American just said, "Hey, how about we take another crack at that game for you?"

I wonder how the money worked out.

Rahxephon91 · « **Reply #47 on:** May 20, 2013, 02:50:27 AM »

Nope, I don't remember any Hot Topic merch for the game. Which made no sense to me because hell that should have been the target audience for the game. I don't think EA at all marketed the game.

Sho Nuff · « **Reply #48 on:** May 20, 2013, 02:54:54 AM »

Huh -- at one point when I was back in the States (after the second Alice shipped) I remember walking by a Hot Topic and seeing an Alice-themed t-shirt, and saying "What the fuuuuuuuuuuck, well at least they know their market"

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Then I went inside to hit on teenage goth girls and listen to their poetry about being sad

[close]

Rahxephon91 · « **Reply #49 on:** May 20, 2013, 02:58:52 AM »

Well I'm only speaking from my experience. And while I hate to admit it, I do shop at Hot Topic and I never remember seeing an Alice 2 T Shirt. Which is a shame as I would have bought one.

Though, my first experience with Alice was seeing a toy of it at the local comic book store.

chronovore · « **Reply #50 on:** May 20, 2013, 05:16:06 AM »

I occasionally find myself in a Hot Topic as well. I think I bought myself a Rock Band t-shirt there, and a HALO hoodie for a Japanese friend who is a fan of the series.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Also to hit on goth girls and listen to their sad poetry. I mean, "poetry about being sad."

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chronovore · « **Reply #51 on:** May 20, 2013, 12:04:48 PM »

THIS GAME IS NOT VERY GOOD.

Seriously, this game is what happens when you encourage artists to do level design, and I say this as a former artist who has been on teams which did this:
Inconsistent visual game design language.
Emphasis on graphics, to the detriment of controls and immersion.
Vistas take precedence over showing the player a clear direction where the game needs them to go.

It's become more pronounced it he underwater levels, which I think is still Chapter 2. Feels like the team has run out of ideas.

chronovore · « **Reply #52 on:** May 30, 2013, 10:22:15 AM »

This was kind of cool.

Other than this, I'm finding the level design is really frustrating and inconsistent, and sometimes just mean. There is almost nothing here which hasn't come directly from another game.

Maybe the triple-jump/glide. That's pretty fun, and it adds tension. However, I discovered last night that after a bounce pad, it counts the bounce as a jump. This was on the heel of a pretty annoying checkpoint, so I was not happy.

chronovore · « **Reply #53 on:** May 31, 2013, 03:56:39 AM »

I've changed my mind a little about the game. There are a few bits which are kind of original and clever and competent.

The Shrink Vision mode which reveals invisible paths, but limits movement: it's pretty cool, and the camera behavior between small and large states are well done. The residual visuals as the paths fade to near-invisibility are subtle but helpful.

The end of The Queen's Castle has chases-on-rails, a la Crash Bandicoot. Those suck, but The Executioner is a creepy sub-boss, and resolution there made me LOL. Then things finished up very satisfyingly, going big.

I'm in the final chapter, The Doll House, and it's as though they finally put some effort into the platform design. So much of chapters 2 through 4 were just big hallways with laughable "puzzles" to progress, but now it's actually mildly engaging to traverse.

chronovore · « **Reply #54 on:** June 03, 2013, 09:45:59 PM »

Finished the game, went back and wrapped up a mess of "do such-and-such without taking damage" Achievements, played through the first chapter on Nightmare difficulty, decided I do not like this game enough to play through the whole thing on Nightmare.

The collectibles are reset for New Game+, and they're reset for Chapter Select runs, so it is theoretically easy to go back and get each and every one with a guide -- and I don't like the game enough to do that, either.

So I started the DLC version of the original American McGee's Alice which is a pack-in, and now free with EA's revised Online Pass pricing.

This game... I had inflated it in my mind for so long, and was so hopeful, but it is just utter dreck. In retrospect, it is hard to believe someone thought that the Quake III engine could be used to make a third-person platformer. Additionally, there are numerous fall-to-death moments in Chapter 3, with zero warning, and there are no checkpoints. Now I am progressing through it by using the Save feature like, unsurprisingly, an old PC game: clear a bit, save, clear a bit, save...

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Author Topic: Alice: The Madness Returns - EA Presents an American McGee Joint (Read 3523 times)