Zero Punctuation: Alice: Madness Returns

[Zechnophobe]

The game was oddly hollow by the end. I mean, I enjoyed it. It was incredibly beautiful... but there was just not enough substance in the gameplay. It is unfortunate really, because the combat was decently well nuanced, and the quadruple jump made for some impressive motion dynamics.

But then you spend the entire game just jumping around hitting levers, and shrinking through key holes. Good mechanics... terrible level design.

 

[UnravThreads]

Just to add what Yahtzee didn't - The PC version doesn't come with the remake, unless you're one of the people who doesn't mind buying from the EA StoreOrigin AND you live in the US. Yes, that's right, only one portion of the market has access to the remake, and the original at a semi-decent price is like trying to find a needle in a great big pile of turds.

 

[ManupBatman]

God, I'm surprised how many people comment about Yahtzee's voice. He's not and immortal robot entertainer, there are colds in Australia.

And I really wanted this game to be good, but the moment Wonderland becomes about combat it's just not really Wonderland. I wonder if any of these adaptations would even exist if not for the Vorpal Blade.

 

[Macrobstar]

Who the hell plays this game on a console anyway? On the PC it looks so fantastic none of these complaints even matter anymore.

People who prefer consoles? Or people who want the 2 game bundle?

 

[LCP]

Yahtzee and his cold

However.
"Neh Heh Nhehh!"

Cracked me up

 

[Moeez]

I agree with Yahtzee on one thing. The story could've been directly tied to the levels, informing each other. For Chapters 1-4, they do lead into each other,

Spoiler

like Alice drowning then ending up under the sea in Chapter 2, or visiting Radcliffe's house where his like for oriental work leads into the Chinese/Japanese mix of porcelain and samurais. But it's when Chapter 5's Dollhouse comes around, does it inform the real-world story of what is occurring with the orphans' minds,

where Yahtzee missed the point of creepy dolls being redundant. The villain's goals are now clear and how it ties to the orphans in the house.

Spoiler

The orphans lose their personality with the process of forgetting memories, hence becoming dolls, and the architecture also hints sexual abuse of the orphans to foreshadow the reveal that they're being sold into pedophile sex slavery.

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg580/scaled.php?server=580&filename=c36020110701102304.jpg&res=medium

[http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/32/27166010150231917561896.jpg/]

This chapter is where the creepy imagery is warranted instead of feeling forced. Once you finish the game on such a strong note of interactive storytelling, I could forgive the rest of the chapters feeling more videogame-y.

 

[Atheist.]

Sounds like someone has the Summer Cold...or was speaking too much into their microphone...or has allergies. Either way, interesting.

You do realize it's Winter in Australia, right?

 

[Dragonpit]

Aww...too bad...It sounded like such great-hey! Wait a minute, when did Yahtzee get a new microphone?

(Yeah, I know. I could've made the usual "he had a cold" joke, but I'm pretty sure it's been killed a few posts back and I'm currently sleep deprived, which means expecting humor from me is like expecting My Little Pony content from horses. Take that any way you want.)

 

[ADeskofRichMahogany]

I played through this game and really enjoyed it (except the end boss fight. That was too easy...).

I agree with most of the review. I was really looking forward to boss fights at the end of every chapter, and so I was disappointed at the end of every chapter when there was no boss. The gameplay is really prolonged and combat gets boring fairly quickly (unless you purposely do stupid things like I did).

Also, if you want the bundle, make sure you don't buy it on Steam, because that doesn't count.

 

[Hollock]

This feels like an older episode.

 

[Bigsmith]

Never noticed the end credit jokes till my girlfriend pointed it out. Currently going through the older episodes to find more.

Ot: I really, really enjoyed the game. I found it fun and really enjoyed the combat. I didn't mind the fact that there really were no bosses until the last one. Would have of enjoyed having to actually take on some of the characters. I mean, take the final encounter with the Hare and the Door mouse, could have been a fantastic end of chapter boss fight I got really pumped up and was like "Oh, finally, a boss fight" and it ended as just one big flop.

Ok, I lied, I do think their should have been bosses in the game. Even if they were just end of chapter bosses. It would have of been better then what we got.

When it comes to the platforming, again, I kinda agree with what he is saying here. The massive jump range is silly and spreads the game out too thinly. A bit like trying to spread the last drop of jam over a massive slice of toast. XD

I didn't see any problem with the enemies in the game, the enemies in the game seemed to vary between chapters and the only ones that seemed to be the same across all chapters where the "ruins".

Over all, I really liked the game. Sadly I don't see any replay value. Just glad I got it on steam and not what ever shit that EA has put out on the market.

 

[GrizzlerBorno]

Oh.My.God. Yahtzee has been replaced with a gruff voiced british game protagonist!

Jokes aside, Get well soon man.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Loved Alice. Still loved Alice. Yahtzee sucks

But we did get to hear him f-bomb his way through this...a new mature edge?

 

[00slash00]

it seems like every few months yahtzees voice changes in a subtle but noticeable way, and just i get used to it, it changes again

 

[Frank_Sinatra_]

Sounds like he bought his old voice back.

Also, quadruple jump? ...Seriously?

No, it's actually more of a 3 jump.

On the other note, can really not decide if I should rent this game or not. It sounds interesting though. Hmm.

Well the scenery is beautiful in the majority of levels, but some do drag on wayyyyy too long (I'm looking at you dollhouse), but if you don't mind long levels too much I suggest renting it to show support that art games can actually exist in this industry dominated by boring cloned shooters.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

Alice: Madness Returns

This week, Zero Punctuation reviews American McGee's sequel adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Now with more creepy baby doll heads!

Watch Video

By the sound of your review, you had to force your way through this game's boringness and just had nothing really exciting to say about it. Am I right?

 

[Pinkamena]

All I could think through this video was "Who are you, and what have you done to yahtzee?"

 

[Dertysan]

SUDDENLY cocktail umbrella! Saving review, stealing lulz...

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I enjoyed playing the game,but it got very dreary and repetitive towards the end.

I thought those dollhouse levels would never end.

I had a few laughs at this video,especially the wannabe pun at the end,hilarious!

 

[Warforger]

Wait, is this Yahtzee? It kind of sounds like him, but it kinda doesnt. Gives you a weird feeling when listening.

It's a cold, he sounded like this in his God Of War 3 review and it happens time to time.