Agent Cooper
Member
I know a million people probably already asked, but which version should I get, PS3 or PC? I'm sure my PC can run it, so it's just a matter of choice right now.
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Alice: Madness Returns |OT|
- Thread starter The M.O.B
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Anticitizen One
Banned
Combichristoffersen said:Good to see this game selling. I hope the sales will be strong enough to convince EA and McGee that there should be a third Alice
I would like a third Alice to round out the series as well as that damn Oz game that there was concept art for back in the early 00s. The pumpkinhead armies looked so cool
plagiarize
Banned
if Spicy Horse really are going to just focus on iPhone games after this, that's a damn shame.
Vampire On Titus
Member
plagiarize said:
Where was this said?
plagiarize
Banned
http://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming...s-creator-teams-with-mobile-dev-popcap-games/EchosMyron1 said:Where was this said?
yeah. i hope that doesn't happen.
Vampire On Titus
Member
plagiarize said:
Oh no...
Hopefully "Alice" sells well enough to persuade them otherwise or they'll return to making more substantial games after their proposed 2 year stint in the free online space.Spicy Horse has proved too good at designing awesome combat and platforming game-play to not make more games with jumping on things and cutting guys.
I doubt their clear art design talent could shine as brightly working on a 3D "Plants vs. Zombies", as well.
Agent Cooper
Member
You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.Dance In My Blood said:
betweenthewheels
Member
Only played a couple hours but i'm lovin' Alice so far. It's so pretty and controls wonderfully.
Bought this on a whim mainly due to the high praise in this thread. I'm so glad I went for this, it's so refreshing.
Bought this on a whim mainly due to the high praise in this thread. I'm so glad I went for this, it's so refreshing.
PumpkinPie
Banned
Just stayed up all night playing, I'm totally sucked in. It might sound a bit stupid but I don't actually know the story of Alice In Wonderland so I get the feeling that I'm missing some cool references as I progress through the game, am I correct?
Oh yeah, you know what I like most about the game? It's a jumping game, jumping from a great height and perfectly nailing all the platforms is a reward in itself. I miss jumping games.
Oh yeah, you know what I like most about the game? It's a jumping game, jumping from a great height and perfectly nailing all the platforms is a reward in itself. I miss jumping games.
Vampire On Titus
Member
B-Dex said:
Break you're targeting and run/dash away from him. Once you've gotten enough distance target again and blast him with the teapot.
Vampire On Titus
Member
luka said:
It's what I've done against him and it always works for me. When you're not locked on and constantly dash away from him you can get good distance.
That way would certainly work fine as well, though.
Finished the game after 13 hours with a completion rate of 96%. Very pleased. Didn't have much trouble with it overall, hell I didn't even die once in combat - not even on the final boss. I'll have to sit on it a bit to form my final impressions because it was so damn long. It's definitely not as dark or twisted as the first game, understandably so from a story perspective. The original took place within a shattered mind and the worlds were visibly fragmented and highly abstract - as much a result of technical limitation than story obviously, but it worked. Not sure which approach I prefer really. The first game was oppressive and soul-crushing in it's darkness - this one never evokes the same kind of dread and confusion, but it does make for more eye-pleasing worlds to run around in.
Complaints that immediately come to mind:
-The story and dialogue doesn't seem nearly as plentiful as it was in the original, nor was it as amusing. The only line that was really as memorable as some of the old ones was "if you're not on edge you're taking up too much space.."
Chesire cat was grossly underused and Alice is much less talkative this time.
-Could use more variety in encounter design. In the second half you're just kind of going through the motions. Doesn't stop being fun though.
-Some chapters, particularly 3 and 5, tend to drag and aren't as interesting as the others, for the most part.
-If you're boring, pretty much every fight can be won by keeping a distance and spamming the teapot.
-I've said it before, but the soundtrack just doesn't measure up to Chris Vrenna's amazing music from the first game.
Pros:
-Chapter 4 was the peak of the game's art and level design. Simply amazing from beginning to end.
-Combat is very smartly designed with a methodical pace and an easy to follow rhythm. If you try to mash your way through you will fail. You're encouraged to use all of your weapons for crowd control and AOE.
-Visually gorgeous and amazing art design. But everyone knows this. Unlock the frame rate for an orgasmic experience on PC.
-Chapter 4 is seriously fucking awesome.
-A platforming game with a focus on actual platforms and precision jumping! What a novel concept! No scripted or automatic bullshit here. Fluttering between invisible platforms feels light and effortless while combat is heavy with crushing blows that send debris and particles everywhere.
-I loved the progression of the story and how later in the game you have a hard time telling what's real anymore. They did a great job at conveying that kind of manic delusion.
-Chapter 4
I wouldn't say it's everyone's cup of tea (hurr hurr) considering how slow and methodical the pacing is, and the general lack of OHMYGODDIDYOUSEETHATWASHOLYSHITAWESOME every 10 minutes. If you're tired of AAA megabudget hyperfocus-tested 5 hour interactive movies and glorified whack-a-mole shooters, buy this. If the art style and concept alone pique your interest, you're probably the type that will adore it.
Complaints that immediately come to mind:
-The story and dialogue doesn't seem nearly as plentiful as it was in the original, nor was it as amusing. The only line that was really as memorable as some of the old ones was "if you're not on edge you're taking up too much space.."
Chesire cat was grossly underused and Alice is much less talkative this time.
-Could use more variety in encounter design. In the second half you're just kind of going through the motions. Doesn't stop being fun though.
-Some chapters, particularly 3 and 5, tend to drag and aren't as interesting as the others, for the most part.
-If you're boring, pretty much every fight can be won by keeping a distance and spamming the teapot.
-I've said it before, but the soundtrack just doesn't measure up to Chris Vrenna's amazing music from the first game.
Pros:
-Chapter 4 was the peak of the game's art and level design. Simply amazing from beginning to end.
-Combat is very smartly designed with a methodical pace and an easy to follow rhythm. If you try to mash your way through you will fail. You're encouraged to use all of your weapons for crowd control and AOE.
-Visually gorgeous and amazing art design. But everyone knows this. Unlock the frame rate for an orgasmic experience on PC.
-Chapter 4 is seriously fucking awesome.
-A platforming game with a focus on actual platforms and precision jumping! What a novel concept! No scripted or automatic bullshit here. Fluttering between invisible platforms feels light and effortless while combat is heavy with crushing blows that send debris and particles everywhere.
-I loved the progression of the story and how later in the game you have a hard time telling what's real anymore. They did a great job at conveying that kind of manic delusion.
-Chapter 4
I wouldn't say it's everyone's cup of tea (hurr hurr) considering how slow and methodical the pacing is, and the general lack of OHMYGODDIDYOUSEETHATWASHOLYSHITAWESOME every 10 minutes. If you're tired of AAA megabudget hyperfocus-tested 5 hour interactive movies and glorified whack-a-mole shooters, buy this. If the art style and concept alone pique your interest, you're probably the type that will adore it.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Looks like there is a lot of stuff that can be edited in the ini files. How Alice moves, how weapons behave, how much upgrades cost, etc.
Oh it's definitely awesome, and nearly on par, but I just didn't find it as memorable. The original had a lot of haunting and distorted melodies that really stuck. AMR has a lot of great tracks, but they're more...traditional. Violins, piano and percussion instead of chorales and industrial noise. It made for a unique soundscape that was extremely evocative of whatever world you were in.Tokubetsu said:
Vampire On Titus
Member
I think that chapter 3, for all chapters really, but especially 3, offered a great deal of artistic variety even within the confines of the set art-style associated with the chapter. From the muted colored "calligraphy-in-the-sky" style, to the slimy bug-infested caves and the paper flat painted look of the 2D sections.
I'm not done with the game yet. However, I feel I'm close enough to say that I truly don't understand how some reviewers tagged this game as having a lack of variety. It's very often changing visual styles, introducing or expanding upon platforming ideas, introducing new enemy's and throwing them into various different enemy groupings which greatly affect the necessary tactical approach.
The upgrades feel incredibly substantial, often times adding entire extra animations, always making the moves feel more savage. (especially the vorpal blade)
My biggest complaint with the game is how often you'll go through long stretches of it without a hint of the narrative's existence. The game is definitely striving for some sense of ambiguity with it's story. But character's (besides Alice) don't seem as memorable as they should be, because they're just given next to no stage time.
Also, although I can't say I've been striving to pay careful attention to it, not much of the music stands out for me. I like some of the sparse piano melodies and the somber violin's that accompany the real world Alice scenes. Can't recall much beyond that.
I'm not done with the game yet. However, I feel I'm close enough to say that I truly don't understand how some reviewers tagged this game as having a lack of variety. It's very often changing visual styles, introducing or expanding upon platforming ideas, introducing new enemy's and throwing them into various different enemy groupings which greatly affect the necessary tactical approach.
The upgrades feel incredibly substantial, often times adding entire extra animations, always making the moves feel more savage. (especially the vorpal blade)
My biggest complaint with the game is how often you'll go through long stretches of it without a hint of the narrative's existence. The game is definitely striving for some sense of ambiguity with it's story. But character's (besides Alice) don't seem as memorable as they should be, because they're just given next to no stage time.
Also, although I can't say I've been striving to pay careful attention to it, not much of the music stands out for me. I like some of the sparse piano melodies and the somber violin's that accompany the real world Alice scenes. Can't recall much beyond that.
Anticitizen One
Banned
PumpkinPie said:
Pick this up next time your out:
Also try out the first game because this one references it alot
This game has been on my radar for a while now, and all this talk is making me want to pick it up ASAP. Main question I have is: is this game plot heavy? Like, is there enough story to keep you intrigued all the way through? I never played the first Alice, but being that my entire childhood revolved around Disney princesses, I'm confident in my Alice in Wonderland knowledge.
Vampire On Titus
Member
luka said:
Wow, alright. Especially that wonderland woods track. Geeeze, I can't think of anything in the new game that's melodically on par with that.
Havent played the first "Alice", beyond 30 minutes or so out of curiosity before staring "Madness Returns" definitely intend to after I'm done with "Madness". It's good to know I have songs like these waiting for me.
Edit:
Disagree with the teapot spamming, while it is an extremely useful weapon, a lot of enemy's dodge it rapidly (those grasshopper samurai, teapot goblins and the big grasshopper that spins his sword at the teapot shots being some I can readily think of). Unless they're backed up into a corner or something.
Trying to spam it a lot of enemy types is a pretty good way to die, especially in certain enemy groupings that contain a lot of smaller enemy's that come up and attack while you're trying to do so.
Cheska said:
I didn't play much of the first one before going into the sequel, but I felt it presents itself well enough that you don't feel confused. Plus they have a bit of back story you can read up on if you want to know more details. Even for someone who hadn't played the original, the story interested me enough to continue. It would probably be a bit confusing if you didn't know anything about the Alice mythos, but having seen the Disney movie would help.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Slightly OT, but I just found out that American McGee's real name is American McGee. I always thought it was just some nickname he had chosen for himself.
Alright loving the game. The art alone is worth the price of admission. Just one problem - my rig chugs pretty badly during combat with Physx on high. This is on an overclocked GTX570/2500k setup. Normally its at 60+ fps but with heavy particle effects it drops all the way down to 30....yikes.
Thanks for all the positive impressions everyone! I went out and picked it up today for my PS3. Made it to the Hatter's place. I have to say, I am not disappointed one bit. The combat's just right, and the platforming mechanics are solid all around. And of course, the art direction and world is absolutely gorgeous. Well, in a demented sort of way.
Vampire On Titus
Member
luka said:That's why you use the rabbit clock to distract and get them all grouped together!
I can never distract more than 2 or so dudes with that
. Once I got 3 of those burrowing lungfish, that was pretty sweet.Btw, I'm playing Madness Returns with a gamepad. I'm assuming Mouse & Keyboard is the way to go for AMA?
I would think this game is probably one of the cheapest games EA has put out in ages in terms of budget. Development in Shanghai has to be much cheaper than many places in the world.EchosMyron1 said:Oh no...
Spicy Horse has proved too good at designing awesome combat and platforming game-play to not make more games with jumping on things and cutting guys.
I doubt their clear art design talent could shine as brightly working on a 3D "Plants vs. Zombies", as well.
DOBERMAN INC
Member
So glad I bought this, Played a few hours and it is genuinely refreshing.The platforming is great and of course the art is fantastic.
Haven't played a game like this in a long time.
Haven't played a game like this in a long time.
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Mush said:
I have both the PC and PS3 versions, and while the game obviously looks better and sharper on PC, the PS3 version is no slouch either. Whatever version you pick up you should be pleased, unlike something like Duke Nukem Forever where the console versions are fucking ugly and barely playable pieces of shit.
Dance In My Blood said:
I actually preferred playing it with the DS3 over m+kb. I'm playing on easy, mind you.
cleveridea
Member
wow thanks guys the costumes unlocked for me using that INI trick! that flesh one is awesome
played around 3 hours and cant get over how bad the IGN review is.
played around 3 hours and cant get over how bad the IGN review is.
Combichristoffersen
Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Elios83 said:
Reviews are definitely off. For me it's easily an 8/10, maybe even a 9/10 so far. For someone who isn't already a fan of the original game, the new one should still be at least a 7/10.
cleveridea
Member
anyone else normally hate platformers but love this game?
surprise of the year for me this game, love it so far cant believe I almost didnt buy it after seeing some low reviews.
surprise of the year for me this game, love it so far cant believe I almost didnt buy it after seeing some low reviews.
I'll definitely be picking this game up at the end of the month for the PC. Pleased to see EA have also decided to stick the original up on XBLA now for 800 points.
Will be interesting to see how Edge Magazine decide to review this game in next months issue.
GAF > Game journalism reviews > GAFCombichristoffersen said:
Will be interesting to see how Edge Magazine decide to review this game in next months issue.
AgentOtaku
Member
Definitely interested in this, especially considering I was a bit of the fan of the original (still have the CDs). Speaking of which, how did the port turn out? 60 or 30fps? vsync?
I was thinking about getting the PS3 version of this for trophies and the free AMA download.
I was thinking about getting the PS3 version of this for trophies and the free AMA download.
