Alice: Madness Returns includes original Alice

By the time EA and Spicy Horse release Alice: Madness Returns for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC later this year, it'll have been well over a decade since its predecessor arrived for the PC. However, gamers looking to refresh their memory of American McGee's Alice won't have to root through their archives.

Speaking to CVG today, American McGee said that those who purchase Alice: Madness Returns on consoles will receive a free download for the original game, which was released for the PC in 2000.

"There's also going to be [a] pretty significant release, which is the original Alice brought over to the consoles so that a person who's purchased Madness Returns gets a download code and is able to bring Alice 1 onto their console and play through the entire original game alongside playing Madness Returns," McGee said.

It was unclear if PC gamers will also be afforded a free copy of American McGee's Alice or when the original game will be available. EA declined to comment on the matter.

McGee also addressed Alice: Madness Returns' downloadable content strategy, saying gamers will be able to purchase a wardrobe for its titular character. "There will be DLC in the form of dresses that the player can download and Alice can wear," he said. "Those dresses come with special abilities and enhance how you play through the game."

An explicitly twisted riff of Lewis Carroll's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice: Madness Returns sees a grown-up version of the titular heroine grappling with insanity. Her journeys take her back to Wonderland, where players will find combat, platforming, and puzzle challenges.

For more information, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

[UPDATE] EA confirmed today that those who purchase a new copy of Alice: Madness Returns will receive a one-time-use code redeemable for a free copy of American McGee's Alice on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Those who pick up the game secondhand will be able to purchase American McGee's Alice for $10 (800 Microsoft points). The publisher indicated that the original Alice will not be sold separately.