Alice 2 Writer Describes Deep Stories, Dream Visions

Alice: Madness Returns

Alice: Madness Returns is one of the most promising action/adventure titles of the generation thus far.

Featuring a great story, beautiful and compelling atmosphere, and enjoyable gameplay, this follow-up to American McGee's Alice has turned a lot of heads. We wanted to learn a bit more about the plot, environment, and lead character, so we presented R.J. Berg, Executive Producer and Lead Story Creator for both Alice games, with a few questions.

First up are some story details involving Alice and her depressing past, and how much of the current for her is a "dream vision." It's interesting to note that Alice is now described "as an adult." Said Berg:

"When she was a child (in the original title), Alice’s credo was 'I will make fear, loneliness, smallness, ignorance, authority, chaos, and death, ridiculous.' In A:MR, as an adult, having suffered a traumatic loss, she’d like to return to that confident philosophy. But she’s forgotten the way. Or something is inhibiting her, keeping her from seeing or finding it.

The story of A:MR is a kind of dream vision, a search for what she’s lost. In dreams she experiences that which is not. We all do this. Though Wonderland is a construct, it’s intimate and real for Alice, and her journey through it is like life—complicated, messy, contradictory, and sometimes dangerous."

It certainly sounds intriguing and it sort of confirms that Wonderland isn't real - even if it's real for Alice - and gives us the sensation of...well, playing a nightmare. We also asked Berg what he would say to get long-time PlayStation fans interested; after all, the first Alice never came to a PlayStation platform. Unsurprisingly, he replied with what we firmly believe: if a game is good enough, you're gonna want it.

"Players who enjoy any combination of deep stories, imaginative mysteries, heroic characters, powerful antagonists, engaging and compelling gameplay, fun and responsive combat, thrilling environments, and menacing levels will love this game. If a guarantee were appropriate, I’d offer it."

You can bet our review will be coming soon, and we'll post up a bit more from Berg this weekend.

Related Game(s): Alice: Madness Returns

Tags: alice 2, alice madness returns, spicy horse, rj berg

5/27/2011 8:49:20 AM Ben Dutka

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