I’ll first state that this may be slightly heavily one-sided.  I first bought American McGee’s Alice back in Oct. of 2000, when it was released.  I was very excited about the concept of revisiting Wonder Land in a more depressed and macabre vision.  I enjoy the story, and am looking forward to the movie(that was originally due out in 2001, but is supposedly filming this week).

But, and you knew there was one coming.  But I think the game as more than a few faults.  And not just faults expected from a game that is almost nine years old.  Because as we know, games tend to age almost like dogs.  But faults that were there from it’s birth, not things that couldn’t be helped due to it’s time, but parts of the game that just don’t feel like they were worked on enough.I honestly think that American McGee’s Alice was so well received when it was released back in 2000, was due mostly impart to it’s story.  Again the story is one of the best in-depth stories found in games from that time.  Also visually, it is stunning, and again for 2000 a mind blower.

But the Bargain Bin Breakdown is not about how good it was, but how good is it still.  And now, nine years later, the visually stunning macabre story of Alice is lacking.

The graphics, pushing the Quake III Arena engine to it’s fullest, don’t hold up as well as some other titles.  And while they suite very well to the environment, the lights and colors hold the levels in line with the story in a very well designed manor.  For these reason I don’t fault the graphics too much in the final analysis.  Including the black lines that appeared on the main screen prior, I’m assuming it’sa resolution issue when running on monitors set higher than the game was expected to go.

What was bizarre and macabre in 2000 has become somewhat lame to today’s standards.  Were this game released today, it would be rated T, not M.  It’s main offence is the blood and violence, somewhat tame compared to most modern titles with the same rating.  What grabbed us, causing our jaws to slam to the floor, doesn’t even so much as really grab our attention.  If you were to compare American McGee’s Alice to other more modern titles these become more apparent.

But again, the story is so very well devised and written.  The cause and effect, the way it’s worked into a games flow of constant action for the player, really does a lot to keep the player interested and enveloped into the story.  A care is built up for Alice and her quests, as you proceed you really do want her to survive to make it to the end.  She becomes less of just a character, and truly becomes the story, becomes the game almost in its self.

But the games biggest fault, it’s biggest problem, the single issue that feels like it wasn’t worked on enough before its release, the controls and combat.  Running/walking are just fine.  Jumping at times has a small delay, which when trying to time the jump to land on a leaf floating down a stream, can cause annoying issues.  There is no crouch.  Sometimes, when attempting to climb up a ledge or ascend a rope, the game will take it upon itself to just ignore you.  You might assume that you just can’t get to that point you’re climbing to, but when you were just there before getting knocked off by a red ant, well…  There is no crouch.  The foot-jumpy-thingy does come in handy, but trying to find it can be a pain as the feet don’t appear at the same point where you aim dot is set.  And if you’re getting hit with cards from an annoying Red Card Guard while trying to make the jump to get close enough to hit him, can be, well…  There is no crouch!  The strafing is good and fluid, and the ability to turn and almost change course while mid jump is very helpful.  But when your in an actual fight can be more of a hindrance.  Again the slight pauses can account for more damage taken that you’re sure you deserved.  THERE IS NO CROUCH!!!  This just really bugged me, I like my crouch, and for a game from 2000 I expected there to be some goody crouching action.

One thing that developers don’t think about when planning out a game, is if it will still be good in five years.  Most developers only care about it being good enough to hold you until their next release.  And to be true, I don’t blame them for this way of thinking, it makes sense for a business.  If they made a game and planned on it being the best a game could be for five years(and succeeded), why would anyone buy anything else?  And the company would surviving on only selling a game once every five years.  That’s why games stop getting patches.

I recall hearing that they were gonna make this for PS2, I really wish they had.  I think the whole thing would have worked better.  The controls, I believe, would have been more smoother.

I should also note, that if there is a patch for American McGee’s Alice, I did not play with it.  If there is one, and I haven’t bothered to check, I’d like to hope that it focused on most, if not all, of the control/combat issues.

The only people that I expect to see playing American McGee’s Alice these days and the hardcore fans that it built up back in 2000.  I also expect to see a surge of people playing it again since EA announced the sequel is in the works.  And again, if that supposed movie is ever made…

Some notes of trivia about American McGee’s Alice and KoreRat:

• Although I’ve started many games, I’ve never beaten it.  Always becoming annoyed with it to the point where I just quit.
• One of the few games that brings about the levels of frustration that make me want to punch the screen.
• The only game I own a stratagy guide for that in not for collectable reasons.
• American McGee’s Alice is the only thirdperson over the shoulder game I’ve played on PC.

American McGee’s Alice revives a score of 3.