Alice: Madness Returns

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 753 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 577 out of 753
  2. Mixed: 140 out of 753
  3. Negative: 36 out of 753
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  1. Fuz
    Jun 20, 2011
    2
    Black bars on a 4:3 are an abomination, and the terrible mouse controls are VERY uncomfortable and make me feel ill at the point that I can't play this game at all.
    Too bad, the art direction seemed very good, so dear devs, please learn how to program a decent control system.
  2. VeBestRethiewer
    Mar 6, 2022
    0
    It's not like I totally dislike this game, the overall user score is just too damn high and can be misleading. For me and for everyone who likes games this game is a 6.
    My review:
    + Great design (from graphics to music) - Even on "easy" game can be difficult, even frustrating partially because of it's buggy mechanics and partially because it's not that easy! The cards level and that    It's not like I totally dislike this game, the overall user score is just too damn high and can be misleading. For me and for everyone who likes games this game is a 6.
    My review:

    + Great design (from graphics to music)

    - Even on "easy" game can be difficult, even frustrating partially because of it's buggy mechanics and partially because it's not that easy! The cards level and that stupid door... how is this easy?!
    - Gets boring after some time (jumping, jumping, fighting, fighting the same enemies is all this game is). So boring that I actually gave up on finishing it. Level design is not everything and this alone won't make me do the same thing all over just to see new levels!

    Some people say voice acting is great in this game. Not to me. Some actors are actually good, but some of them, well... they sound very unconvincing and emotionless. I could act better.
    In a few words its a great artistic product, but far from perfect technically and game-wise.    … Expand
  3. DrGulag
    Aug 15, 2011
    0
    Way too long and repetitive. People who rate this game a ten have to be out of their minds..how can you sit through such boring gameplay. You have seen everything after the first few hours. It never gets refreshing after that..Sure, some of the stages have been designed nicely but it's always the same "jump", "push a switch", "kill enemies" -> repeat ad nauseum.
  4. tronchaviones
    Mar 1, 2015
    2
    Yankee mcgee has fallen so low that now he does not even hire programmers able to read the mouse without inducing unwanted acceleration. Control is worse than on amateur scratch games.
  5. attilab
    Jan 6, 2012
    3
    Alice MR is unpolished and feels rushed and outsourced, cheep... can you say all your base belongs to us? The story doesn't translate well and seems disjointed, discombobulated, disdonsounlikerearengrisck, I didn't even know what happened until after beating the game then reading up on what the game was about. This was partially due to dialogue overlapping and/with sound effects. The artAlice MR is unpolished and feels rushed and outsourced, cheep... can you say all your base belongs to us? The story doesn't translate well and seems disjointed, discombobulated, disdonsounlikerearengrisck, I didn't even know what happened until after beating the game then reading up on what the game was about. This was partially due to dialogue overlapping and/with sound effects. The art is stunning and beautiful, the action is average/boring, the puzzles are mostly horrible with random parts hidden due to the combination of poor camera angles and extremely poor map design. I got no satisfaction after beating it other then it was finally over.… Expand
  6. SansDeity
    Aug 6, 2011
    4
    Definitely needs, at a minimum, a major patch. Some custom keyboard controls vanish on reloads (my forward key was mapped to F and every time I die and restart, I have to remap it (even though it still displays as being mapped to F). The camera and movement controls are horrible when in tight spaces (especially in the tiny, secret rooms one finds when shrunk). Combat is clunky andDefinitely needs, at a minimum, a major patch. Some custom keyboard controls vanish on reloads (my forward key was mapped to F and every time I die and restart, I have to remap it (even though it still displays as being mapped to F). The camera and movement controls are horrible when in tight spaces (especially in the tiny, secret rooms one finds when shrunk). Combat is clunky and inconsistent and I rarely feel like I'm doing more than dodge-attack-attack-attack-attack.

    The first game was among my favorites and this had (has!) the potential to get there, but it's so buggy and unfinished that until it gets a major update, it's a coaster, for me. If it weren't for the potential that I see, I'd give it a 1.    … Expand
  7. Loucetios
    Feb 3, 2013
    2
    The game unfortunately has a number of game breaking bugs that currently there are NO fixes for.

    On my first play I got to a part where you go up an elevator except it did not transition to the next cutscene. No amount of replaying to that point solved it. I then had to download someone else's save and use the chapter select menu to play. Unfortunately there is no save function with    The game unfortunately has a number of game breaking bugs that currently there are NO fixes for.

    On my first play I got to a part where you go up an elevator except it did not transition to the next cutscene. No amount of replaying to that point solved it. I then had to download someone else's save and use the chapter select menu to play.

    Unfortunately there is no save function with this method so it was by luck that I resumed where I wanted. I then ran into a second game breaking bug towards the end where on finishing a chapter it would not load the next level. It would just crash.

    The gameplay is ho-hum at best. The entire game is just platforming and some monkey level grade puzzles that don't require much thought at all. Seriously the entire game is just platform jumping, the combat never evolves much. It shows moments of brilliance but there's about 1/10th brilliance to 9/10ths horrendously boring platforms and puzzles.

    Compared to the previous games they nearly do away almost entirely with interesting combat. They vary the enemies a lot mid game but then go back to the regular ones for the end.

    Each chapter follows an identical forumla, introduce new enemies. Then jump jump jump. Quirky part.. chase some main character. Then that's it.

    Artistically and graphically it has it's moments. The level design and look is brilliant except for a few chapters, it ends on a weak note really. Overall it's a very PG experience compared to the first one.

    You never feel attached to any of the characters like in the last one, they never kill any of them off. As I said it's a very PG experience all in all.

    The story is painfully predictable, and fizzles out towards the end with no real conclusion.

    I have no doubt EA ruined much of this. They likely forced the devs to keep the overall gameplay simple, hence why it's nothing but platforming jumps. The combat again is equally simple compared to the last game, MB1 all day long.

    What ruins this game is ultimately it's mechanics, the lack of interaction with the characters, and game design, all of which are boring and as stale as you like. The cat is the only one you really interact with much.

    Sad, I really wanted to like this game, but it's ultimately emotionless. You spend the entire game wondering what's happened to Alice in reality as opposed to exploring the characters or Wonderland's madness.    … Expand
  8. georgio
    Jun 10, 2014
    0
    Why 0? Two words: mouse acceleration. I hate the thing and this game has to the worst. Quick flick across my pad barely makes my cursor move while slowly moving my mouse the same distance makes Alice do several 360ies.

    Now before I will continue - I spent significant time trying to find solution for this. I browsed forums, changed values in several config files to no avail. In the end    Why 0? Two words: mouse acceleration. I hate the thing and this game has to the worst. Quick flick across my pad barely makes my cursor move while slowly moving my mouse the same distance makes Alice do several 360ies.

    Now before I will continue - I spent significant time trying to find solution for this. I browsed forums, changed values in several config files to no avail. In the end running with Alice seems more like sailing a tanker even for the most basic of things like going around the corner. In some situations the movement caused borderline nausea.

    Now several reviewers bash controls but say you can get used to it. You know what? I don't want to get used to it. I played hundreds of games over the years and never felt a need for mouse acceleration. Other people say Alice is best played with controller where the acceleration seems more natural. What the hell? If I wanted to play with controller I would play console version for Christ sakes!

    So that is it. I believe all the people that the game and content is great. Unfortunately I simply cannot enjoy it because of decision by developers to slam their idea of how to play PC games down my throat. Only for me it literally makes me vomit. So be cautious before making the purchase. You have been warned.    … Expand
  9. 1771174
    Aug 15, 2013
    4
    Controlling the character during fights it's so painful that I couldn't get myself to finish even the first chapter. The platforming looked pretty repetitive, and after checking on youtube, out of curiosity, how the first big boss fight was all that I could say was: seriously? Are you freaking kidding me? This is lame. Make yourself a favor, if you liked the first Alice, play it once moreControlling the character during fights it's so painful that I couldn't get myself to finish even the first chapter. The platforming looked pretty repetitive, and after checking on youtube, out of curiosity, how the first big boss fight was all that I could say was: seriously? Are you freaking kidding me? This is lame. Make yourself a favor, if you liked the first Alice, play it once more and save your money, this sequel isn't worth it despite having a very good art.… Expand
  10. overfiend87
    Aug 7, 2013
    3
    Completed it and I don't really know what to feel about this. There was a beautiful game called American McGee's alice where she wrestled with her subconcious and here it just seems a little lazy in areas. The design is very beautiful and detailed, but the story itself insults fans of the origonal game by re-writting a few things for someone to make their own story in reguard to the wayCompleted it and I don't really know what to feel about this. There was a beautiful game called American McGee's alice where she wrestled with her subconcious and here it just seems a little lazy in areas. The design is very beautiful and detailed, but the story itself insults fans of the origonal game by re-writting a few things for someone to make their own story in reguard to the way children were treated in the time period it's set in. I won't give much away, but that is somewhat of a focus of it, however the ending felt very bitter sweet to me I have to say.

    I'd only get it on sale and even then, check the steam forums where people have shown how to modify the game code to a much smoother and better working Alice game.

    Hell the first time where it looks like there's a boss battle it gets interupted, making me wonder if there were origonally more boss battles in this apart from the ending, but had to be cut due to time constraints. The game by itself is Average at best, but the fact that they try to tie it to the origonal is horrible and they even add a sister who never exsisted just to play into their whole story that, as I said above, leads to a rarther bitter-sweet ending that leaves a foul taste in your mouth. Also the collectables are pointless as there are no alternate endings to it through a search on youtube has revealed.

    You do not have all the many weapons like in the origonal game, but instead only four weapons. Another pet-peeve is where the first game is felt more like wonderland could actually be another world, this game makes it much more like it's 100% that Alice is insane and her wonderland is altered from everything she sees during her lucid states.

    A good thing many fans will love is the many different dresses available that are all quite creative and awesome. some of the imagry is quite dark and disturbing too, but again it falls flat when you realise the gameplay is average and it insults a game that was considered by fans as an offical sequal to the Lewis Carrol books.    … Expand
  11. Azazello
    Feb 2, 2015
    1
    OK... The game has a good atmosphere, idea... but... i really like this game until complete 4%... but after this. I want to punch the creators in the nose. The controls on PC are just horrible and system of checkpoints piss you off. They give you too little marge to error. You are wasting time in useless tries to pass a few steps just for fail in the next step and return to beginning ofOK... The game has a good atmosphere, idea... but... i really like this game until complete 4%... but after this. I want to punch the creators in the nose. The controls on PC are just horrible and system of checkpoints piss you off. They give you too little marge to error. You are wasting time in useless tries to pass a few steps just for fail in the next step and return to beginning of the level and to repeat it again. Frack! I want to enjoy the game, it's supposed the game is for diversion and a pleasure pass-time, not for uncomfortable one.… Expand
  12. Neddy
    Jan 7, 2015
    3
    Creepy supernatural Victoriana.

    Yes I agree with that summation. Graphically it's excellent because delves into visuals that are imaginative. Gameplay or combat is fun. Spooky and brilliant. However the fun stops there. It is a git of a game to play. I have put in 17 hours on the clock, but actual game save time is 9 hours 10 minutes. In other words 7 hours and fifty minutes (44%    Creepy supernatural Victoriana.

    Yes I agree with that summation. Graphically it's excellent because delves into visuals that are imaginative. Gameplay or combat is fun. Spooky and brilliant.

    However the fun stops there. It is a git of a game to play. I have put in 17 hours on the clock, but actual game save time is 9 hours 10 minutes. In other words 7 hours and fifty minutes (44% play time) was spent repeating stuff. Trying and trying until I screamed and was shaking in distress to get past hard parts.

    It often goes into a 2-D side-scroller. Things like where you have to make jumps over obstacles and avoid fire from weapons. (One hit kill.) I just quit now and have given up the game 'for ever' in a 2-D part. The first parts of this bit were ok-ish. Then the next bit took about 30 goes to get past. Then the next bit I counted 58 goes to get past. Then the next little bit I counted 24 tries and shut down the game without getting past.

    Why am I making over a hundred attempts to get past short passages of any game? It's because it looks great even though the graphics are not that complex. They are nicely designed. If I did not love that aspect of Alice:MR I would have stopped playing a long time ago. Now though it has reached the stage where the downside is greater than the up-side. I give up. Towel thrown in. Not half way through the game.

    All the way it was try-die, until I nearly broke down. It has taken me weeks to get this far, because I keep having to shut down from stress. I would much prefer the disk space for another game than suffer any more of this.    … Expand
  13. msmythe365
    Mar 2, 2014
    4
    I love the art in this game, and when I first started, I thought the game play was excellent. However, the difficulty level is inconsistent. I consistently did pretty well or excellent, and then I'd enter a room where I had to retry it 10-20 times to make it through because it was suddenly insanely difficult. Then it would drop back down to easy or pleasantly difficult again.

    Part of    I love the art in this game, and when I first started, I thought the game play was excellent. However, the difficulty level is inconsistent. I consistently did pretty well or excellent, and then I'd enter a room where I had to retry it 10-20 times to make it through because it was suddenly insanely difficult. Then it would drop back down to easy or pleasantly difficult again.

    Part of that is that there's little leveling up you can do. I was particularly irritated with the horse head weapon, because when you upgrade it to keep the power commiserate, speed became glacial and I was too slow to hit anything.

    Also, sometimes when you fail they put you back in good spots. Sometimes they drop you back at the beginning of something else that took you 10 tries to complete.

    It's pretty and the story is great, but I just got tired of endlessly having to retry everything. I might try it in easy mode and see if that's more consistent, although a lot of the normal mode was pleasantly difficult so easy might be too easy.    … Expand
  14. 1men1guy
    Aug 9, 2022
    0
    Alright, American McGee's Alice was PREEEETTY GOOD but... Madness Returns? I mean. I don't know, why? Because the PC port is absolute **** I gotta try a console port. Maybe EA finally did something good in those, damn.

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Best PC Game of 2011
37
#37 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
22
#22 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Armchair Empire
    Oct 17, 2011
    70
    All in all, Alice: Madness Returns delivers a good sequel. Not superlative, but not a cheap knockoff. If topsy-turvy architecture, steampunk menaces, and Victorian psychotherapy tickle your geek itch, this is a title well worth playing.
    Read full review
  2. Absolute Games
    Aug 14, 2011
    77
    Alice: Madness Returns is a living contradiction, an unholy union of incredible visual flair and ho-hum gameplay.
    Read full review
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Aug 8, 2011
    80
    Combat is flawed, but does little to detract from the game's breathtaking depiction of lunacy. [Sept 2011, p.61]
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