A bizarre title worth adding to your collection despite its shortcomings, which you may or may not ignore.
Graphics - Frame rate, draw distance, texture- quality, lighting and other effects, character animation... there is no point in talking about these things in this case. There is no point in analysing Alice's graphics with technical / technological terms. Simply put this is one of those rare titles that is going to look good to people even after 50 years from now , since the design of the graphics from an artistic view is simply ground breaking and that's what it really matters. In 2000 the title had some of the most advanced technologically graphics in a video game and an artistic presentation that was unparalleled by that era's standards. After 7 years the game remains one of the most unique visual experiences ever created. Everything in this title oozes with top notch creativity and unbelievable surrealistic touches reminding me a bit of Salvador Dali's masterpieces ( the time loses its meaning, stops, confuses), M. C. Escher's extraordinary and complicated environments or Victor Vasarely's geometric abstract art. The artists of Alice raised -or better transfered- the bar in this area into another level -or another dimension if you prefer-, very different than the ones that i was used of seeing and playing (talking always about the 3D action / adventure genre). You could even take pics and snapshots from this game and create a very nice exhibition in a museum or sth... it feels so psychedelic, bizarre, unique at times... it's just like being all the time in a magical place, filled to the maximum with fantastic creatures and imaginary environments, taking part in an interactive fairy tale. This isn't just graphics... this is art imo. It's THAT good...
Sound - Great original soundtrack that sounds a bit weird at first but fits perfectly to the title. The sound effects are also amazing contributing -like the music- to the psychedelic feeling - emotion - experience that is called American McGee's Alice + the voice acting is at the same level of greatness. .
Gameplay - Sometimes i wonder if the monumental graphics make me to underestimate the true value of Alice's gameplay. And the answer is no. Alice has a simple combat system with some extraordinary indeed weapons (they are mostly toys... but very lethal ones) that aren't balanced as well as they should be (although they create some of the most spectacular effects in the title). There is a nice variety, most of them have a secondary option, but some of the weapons (f.e. the Cards) seem a bit useless in comparison to the others. What's more the enemies -although great in appearance and with excellent animation- have an average AI... they 'll see you and then they'll attack with one or two different patterns. It's a bit boring and since the usage of every weapon costs you "magic" energy the battles become repetitive, too long at times and don't feel as satisfying as the rest of the game. .
The graphics and the whole atmosphere support the gameplay not only with their beauty and immersion... there are times when you 'll see the whole environment around you changing shapes and structure, creating a more complicated playground for your gaming tastes. Other times the levels will seem very complicated -cause of their architecture and detail- although at the end (most of the times) things 'll be easier and more linear or straightforward for you to accomplish. Solving those simple puzzles/ action-jump sequences 'll make you feel like you succeeded in sth more difficult than it was actually. There are a few gameplay twists and different gameplay mechanics here and there that add variation to the title ( Hint: Alice has 2 or 3 different animations for each weapon -some of them are very funny... just let her to stand still while holding them for a few seconds). ..
Value - Another shortcoming. Alice is a very linear game and not a long one. 15-20 hours is the average play time. However these are going to be some of the most immersive gameplay hours of your life + you 'll want to play again this title for 2 reasons : .
1. there are lots of levels, however most of them are quite small. This means that there are so many different things in the title that you won't remember many of them after you complete the game. It's so full of bizarre environments and characters and moments that make the whole experience so mesmerizing and worth repeating. .
2. The ending of Alice -the final confrontation + the ending video- is going to give a deeper meaning in your whole experience. This isn't just a sick twist of the well-known fairy tale. Everything in the game (the environments, your allies (?), the bosses ) have an allegorical and metaphorical meaning... after you see the ending (you can also read the booklet that is included in the game, it's really helpful) you 'll see the whole experience from another perspective. There is also a feeling of purification (there is, in the ancient Greek tragedy, the word "catharsis" that describes better this emotion) that i 've never felt before in a video game. In that aspect the multi-dimensional story of Alice (talks about your fears, your guilts and your fight in order to overcome them) makes up for the very linear gameplay.
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Final Thoughts- Alice is a very contradictory title, a game that is difficult even for professional-journalists to review. A great looking title with fantastic sound and a great story or a game with average, repetitive gameplay and boring enemies? An amazing experience that stays in your mind and soul or a very brief one that 'll rarely be remembered? A nice fairy tale for adults or a sick nightmare of our childhood's stories? A game in which you are playing into a young girl's mind or a title that is playing with your own one? Since the game is very short i suggest at least to rent it (in case that you care more about the action and not the graphics etc.). However -imo- this title deserves to have a place in your library since you'll definitely want to repeat it again and again. A truly remarkable and unforgettable achievement that proves that games can become a new kind of art if there is the imagination, the will, the inspiration and the talent for a vision of this magnitude.