The enduring appeal of classic fairytales often lies in their ability to explore the darker aspects of the human psyche, providing cautionary tales and insights into survival. While games have become a significant medium for storytelling, they often shy away from adapting these rich narrative traditions. This is a missed opportunity, particularly when considering the unique and impactful experiences offered by titles like American McGee's Alice and its successor, Alice: Madness Returns.
American McGee's Alice, released in late 2000, presented a disturbing and mature take on Wonderland, earning an M rating for its mature content. Developed by Rogue Entertainment and published by Electronic Arts, the game was critically acclaimed, achieving a Metascore of 85. It offered a Wonderland far removed from lighter interpretations, where a wounded world required Alice's fortitude to heal.
Its sequel, Alice: Madness Returns, launched in June 2011. While it garnered a less enthusiastic critical reception compared to its predecessor, with some reviewers citing irritating combat and dated visuals, players embraced its dark atmosphere and continued narrative twists. The game's distinct steampunk aesthetic and dark fairytale reimagining resonated with its audience.
Despite the franchise's cult following and the clear appetite for more, a third installment, tentatively titled Alice: Asylum, has been blocked by publisher Electronic Arts, according to creator American McGee. In 2023, McGee stated that EA refused to fund or license the project, leading him to step away from development for a period. He has since begun work on a new game based on his Plushie Dreadfuls toy line, which is set to explore similar themes of dark Wonderland-esque narratives.
Currently, Alice: Madness Returns remains available for purchase on PC via Steam. However, the original American McGee's Alice is effectively locked away, inaccessible on modern consoles unless previously purchased digitally. This digital desertion is particularly unfortunate given the potential for both titles to be remastered for current hardware. Revitalizing these games with updated visuals and quality-of-life improvements could introduce a new generation of players to Alice's dark, compelling journey through a corrupted Wonderland, satisfying a demand for unique, mature fairytale experiences that few other games currently fulfill.
