Alice: Madness Returns

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 15,353 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Alice: Madness Returns Game Cover
Despite unrefined combat, Alice: Madness Returns delivers a fun, unforgettable journey in color, design, and images.
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Return to Wonderland and experience an all new nightmare as Alice fights to regain her sanity as she fights for the truth behind her past. Can Alice save Wonderland - and herself - from the madness that consumes them both?

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Ea Origin
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
  • Xbox Game Pass
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 15,353 reviews
story2,720 positive mentions
stability688 negative mentions
  • story5,739 mentions

    The story of "Alice: Madness Returns" is a dark and twisted reinterpretation of the classic "Alice in Wonderland," exploring themes of trauma, mental illness, and recovery as Alice Liddell navigates her fractured psyche. Players are drawn into a richly detailed world filled with grotesque imagery and compelling characters, with the narrative unfolding through collectibles and cutscenes that reveal Alice's tragic past and the corruption of Wonderland. While the story is praised for its depth and creativity, some players note that the gameplay can feel repetitive and the pacing uneven, yet the overall experience remains engaging and thought-provoking.

    • “The story is an incredibly unique telling of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.”
    • “The story, explored through a mix of the original 'Alice in Wonderland' that we know and love and violent twist on the characters was a delight to progress through.”
    • “The story is dark and intriguing, and it's easy to see how this is a cult classic.”
    • “The plot progresses at (mock) turtle's pace.”
    • “You want to progress with the story, but every NPC gives you some irrelevant and silly side quest that you have to complete before you can move on.”
    • “The story is dark and deals with a lot of mental abuse and traumatic experiences, the way that any Alice story should be in my opinion, and a dream for any gothic fans.”
  • graphics3,170 mentions

    The graphics of "Alice: Madness Returns" are widely praised for their stunning art style and imaginative design, which many players find captivating and immersive, even years after its release. While some reviews note that the graphics can show their age and may require adjustments to run smoothly, the overall aesthetic—characterized by a dark, gothic, and whimsical atmosphere—remains a significant highlight of the game. Despite occasional technical issues, the visuals are often described as breathtaking, making the game a visual treat that complements its intriguing storyline.

    • “The graphics in the game are absolutely gorgeous; it is a beautifully imagined fantasy world.”
    • “The gaming experience it offers is nothing short of exceptional, as the gameplay, graphics, and sound design harmoniously blend to create an immersive and captivating environment.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, especially for an old game like this!”
    • “It's ridiculous that the players themselves have to go into the files and fix the coding as well as having to keep the graphics to the lowest just so it doesn't crash continuously after the first cutscene.”
    • “It seems like a lot of people are having graphical, input, or gameplay bugs and glitches.”
    • “I have to lower the graphic settings to make it run smoothly even once, and even then suffer through crashes.”
  • gameplay3,035 mentions

    The gameplay of "Alice: Madness Returns" is characterized by a blend of platforming, combat, and puzzle-solving, offering a visually stunning experience that captivates players with its artistic direction and narrative depth. However, many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of the gameplay, with some mechanics feeling outdated and clunky, leading to a sense of tedium as the game progresses. While the combat and platforming can be enjoyable, technical issues and a lack of variety in enemy encounters detract from the overall experience, making it a mixed bag for players.

    • “The gaming experience it offers is nothing short of exceptional, as the gameplay, graphics, and sound design harmoniously blend to create an immersive and captivating environment.”
    • “Every facet of the game, from the compelling storyline to the meticulously crafted mechanics, surpasses my expectations in every conceivable way.”
    • “The blend of puzzles and environmental challenges keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging, providing a satisfying sense of progression.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly repetitive, and the combat feels clunky.”
    • “The repetitive gameplay, clunky combat, and my overall lack of enjoyment made this a disappointing experience.”
    • “The game never earns its length because the platforming and combat mechanics, while fun, get repetitive over time with very little variety in the way they are implemented.”
  • music1,036 mentions

    The music in "Alice: Madness Returns" is widely praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, effectively complementing the game's gothic visuals and emotional narrative. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke feelings of melancholy and unease, with specific tracks enhancing key moments in the story. However, some players note that the music can become repetitive and lacks the memorable impact of the original game's score, leading to mixed feelings about its overall effectiveness.

    • “The soundtrack deserves special mention, as it perfectly complements the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Every single song is a wonderful representation of the part of the story it was made for that I can't imagine any other sound for them.”
    • “The stunning visuals and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack draw you into a dark and twisted version of wonderland that will leave you in awe.”
    • “However, when it comes to the gameplay, platforming, music and overall development, this game can be really disappointing.”
    • “Alice: Madness Returns lacks boss battles for a majority of the levels and the music isn't as otherworldly and creepy as Chris Vrenna's soundtrack for American McGee's Alice.”
    • “Also, the music is incredibly dull and repetitive, with what seems like only one track on loop for all combat encounters.”
  • atmosphere812 mentions

    The atmosphere of "Alice: Madness Returns" is widely praised for its dark, gothic, and surreal qualities, creating an immersive experience that reflects the game's twisted narrative. Reviewers highlight the stunning visuals, intricate level designs, and a haunting soundtrack that collectively evoke a sense of unease and fascination. Despite some technical issues and repetitive gameplay, the game's unique atmosphere and artistic direction leave a lasting impression, making it a standout title for fans of atmospheric storytelling.

    • “The richly detailed environments are filled with vibrant colors and intricate designs, creating an atmosphere that perfectly reflects the game’s dark narrative.”
    • “The soundtrack deserves special mention, as it perfectly complements the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick with a dark, unsettling vibe that’s really unique and immersive.”
    • “The atmosphere and tone of the game is certainly improved from its predecessor: in ama, most of the horror visuals came from the bloodiness of the surroundings and the enemies, while in this game, the horror elements are relying far less on the gore factor and more on the blurring of the lines between reality and wonderland, giving a sensation that alice may be descending into madness again.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game makes you feel like you really are controlling a girl who is about to lose the last bits of her sanity.”
  • stability720 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting frequent crashes, glitches, and performance issues that can make it frustratingly unplayable. Many users have experienced game-breaking bugs, particularly in the PC port, which often requires troubleshooting and manual adjustments to configuration files for a smoother experience. While some players managed to enjoy the game despite these issues, the overall consensus is that the game's stability is a major drawback that overshadows its positive aspects.

    • “Game runs great on the Steam Deck, suffering no slowdown that I have noticed.”
    • “This little gem, what to say, man they made this well back when games were released finished and bug free. I am playing this on a modern machine and it runs so well and looks so good that you really can't tell it was made 10 years ago.”
    • “I have a very basic laptop but it ran fine otherwise with no glitches or frame drops.”
    • “Game crashed multiple times and there's just an insane amount of glitches which makes the game unplayable.”
    • “I wanted to like this game, I was excited to play it, but all I got was a buggy, unpatched and frustrating mess.”
    • “The biggest drawback is probably from the publisher, the port to PC is very buggy, easy to crash and many times need to play from the early beginning due to there being only auto-save features.”
  • optimization298 mentions

    The optimization of "Alice: Madness Returns" has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent crashes, stuttering, and performance issues, particularly on the PC port. While some users found ways to improve performance through file modifications and community guides, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for modern hardware, making it difficult to enjoy without significant tweaks. Many recommend playing on consoles for a better experience, as the PC version suffers from a lack of proper optimization and numerous bugs.

    • “Runs smoothly on lower settings and still looks great and with a great score and story.”
    • “There are lots of community guides about how to improve performance.”
    • “Overall, Alice: Madness Returns is a brilliant and twisted experience based off the Lewis Carroll book and while the performance was an unfortunate response from the era that this game was released, all other aspects really shine and is an experience I won't be forgetting anytime soon.”
    • “I decided to quit because the game is horrifically buggy and unoptimized.”
    • “The game itself is amazing but it's unbelievably awful to play on PC and terribly optimized overall.”
    • “Despite its low system requirements, the game lags during action and sometimes freezes outright; crashes and poor performance plagued my entire playthrough.”
  • grinding220 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious and repetitive nature, with many players feeling that levels are unnecessarily long and combat lacks variety, leading to a dull experience. While some elements, like the art style and story, are appreciated, they often fail to compensate for the drawn-out gameplay that feels more like a chore than an engaging adventure. Overall, players suggest that the game could benefit from more dynamic mechanics and shorter, more varied levels to alleviate the grind.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Some levels feel unnecessarily drawn out and tedious, making it hard to stay invested.”
    • “From a gameplay standpoint the levels are repetitive and the combat is extremely tedious, leading to a surprisingly dull playthrough.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game became nothing but a tedious chore very quickly.”
  • humor143 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of dark, macabre, and whimsical elements, often featuring witty dialogue and absurd character interactions that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to balance serious themes with comedic moments, creating a unique atmosphere that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Many reviews highlight the charm of the characters and the clever use of humor, making it a standout feature of the gameplay.

    • “It has all the charm, psychotic and crazy sense of humor you could want and manages to expose all its nuances in a wickedly fun (almost theatrical) tone.”
    • “The whole 'Alice: Madness Returns' world is twisted and bizarre, creepy and funny, but above all it's no child's story.”
    • “Behind the mask of grotesque and gothic looking characters and scenes is hiding a serious story about struggling with your inner demons, mental scars and disgusting world of exploitation we still live in, so although this game is a lot of fun it is also very deep, and it perfectly balances crazy, serious, funny and scary in one very unusual and iconic game.”
  • character development134 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its stunning and intricate character designs, which effectively reflect the dark themes and atmosphere of the story. Players appreciate the variety of outfits and unique character portrayals that evolve with each chapter, although some critiques mention that the overall character development feels somewhat lacking. The combination of beautiful visuals and creative character design contributes significantly to the immersive experience, making it a standout aspect of the game.

    • “The character design is also great as with each chapter Alice will get different dresses with each level to match the environment; some of these dresses look great and I couldn't stop but admire the level of detail that went into them.”
    • “The character designs are wonderfully macabre, with many returning characters receiving updated designs as befitting of Alice's vastly altered mindscape, and the voice acting is strong.”
    • “Beautiful visuals and excellent character design combine to create a wonderful, disturbing, and unique take on Alice and her adventures in Wonderland.”
    • “The storyline is average at best, and character development is mediocre.”
    • “Although the character development is lacking and is somewhat subpar, the implanted lore that is already there from the previous game has been expanded upon.”
    • “It's a beautiful puppet but it doesn't have much life despite how unique many of the character designs are.”
  • emotional124 mentions

    The emotional aspect of "Alice: Madness Returns" is widely praised for its deep exploration of trauma and psychological themes, with many players finding the storyline both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking. The game's unique art style and haunting soundtrack enhance the emotional experience, evoking strong reactions from players, including sadness and empathy for the protagonist, Alice. However, some critiques mention a lack of emotional connections with supporting characters and issues with gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall impact.

    • “Alice’s journey through her fractured mind is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, and the writing is sharp and engaging.”
    • “The storyline, which delves into Alice's psyche, is both thought-provoking and emotionally resonant; it's also personally one of my favorite aspects of the game.”
    • “The horrific memories that Alice must face and remember make you, as a player, feel emotionally attached to her, and at times, sorry for her.”
    • “Okay game with a boring story.”
  • replayability124 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players finding it enjoyable due to collectibles and a New Game+ mode, while others feel it lacks significant replay value due to the absence of alternate endings and achievements. Many reviews suggest that the game is worth playing once for its story and visuals, but completionists may find more incentive to replay for collectibles. In general, the consensus leans towards average replayability, with scores ranging from 3/10 to 8/10 depending on individual preferences.

    • “Some parts may drag on a bit, but Madness Returns also has a lot more going on with upgrades, secrets, and added replay value thanks to collectibles and unlockables.”
    • “I'm about 10 hours in and at about 55% completion, and I can already tell there is huge replayability potential.”
    • “There is also a nicely detailed ‘main menu’ with unlockable content and a ‘new game +’ mode which adds replay value.”
    • “However, the game lacks replay value, as there are no collectibles or alternate endings to discover.”
    • “I wouldn't say there's a lot of replayability unless you're a completionist.”
    • “Replayability: 5/10 - there's really not that much to do once you've completed it.”
  • monetization16 mentions

    The monetization strategy in this game has drawn significant criticism, with many reviewers expressing frustration over the prevalence of microtransactions and unskippable ads reminiscent of YouTube. Players feel that the focus on cash grabs detracts from the overall experience, overshadowing the game's potential and quality. Despite the game's merits, the aggressive monetization tactics have led to a negative reception among fans.

    • “Can we add some microtransactions for extra costumes or weapons?”
    • “Continue to throw more Battlefield, Need for Speed, and those other garbage sports games with a million microtransactions; nothing else seems like that's all EA is known for today.”
    • “This game was a good example of what EA should have retained, but no, they couldn't; they just had to change to the BS cash grab and rushed content releases that are plaguing many AAA titles now.”
    • “EA microtransactions return.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

68% average critic score

Buy Alice: Madness Returns

Play time

12hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
14hMain story
23hCompletionist
5-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 56 analyzed playthroughs

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