Uploaded July 2022 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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The American McGee’s Alice series delivered a dark, unforgettable take on Wonderland. Let's take a look at American McGee's Alice, Madness Returns, and the unreleased Alice: Asylum (which EA has passed on), and why their work continues to resonate with fans.
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UPDATE: April 7th 2023: EA decided to pass on the proposal of Alice: Asylum - patreon.com/posts/end-of-adventure-81049672

Since its release in late 2000, there really haven't been many series like American McGee's Alice. Taking the well-known property of Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland and giving it a darker twist, few titles can also compare to it in regards to its themes and delivery.

It was a 10.5 half-year wait for a sequel, Alice: Madness Returns. While Madness Returns has it issues, it's still an excellent follow-up with a devoted audience after all these years.

Alice: Asylum had a full proposal—but EA ultimately passed on it in 2023. The design bible for Alice: Aslyum leaves behind a well-documented "what if" for what the game would've been.

In this video, we're going to look at not only the first two titles in the series but also what they had in mind for Alice: Aslyum, and why the series still resonates with fans.

Timestamps:
00:00 - Prelude
01:12 - The Making of American McGee's Alice
03:42 - Presentation of American McGee's Alice
06:55 - Gameplay of American McGee's Alice
08:59 - Highlights of American McGee's Alice (Spoilers)
16:22 - Alice: Madness Returns Prelude
18:40 - Presentation of Alice: Madness Returns
21:08 - Gameplay of Madness Returns
25:55 - On the Length of Madness Returns
28:43 - Highlights of Madness Returns (Spoilers)
43:20 - Comparing the Two Titles
44:23 - On Alice: Asylum and the Future of the Series

Additional Footage::
Alice: Asylum -
• youtube.com/watch?v=JjVC7YYZBDA
• youtube.com/watch?v=47v5TbrE1AE
• youtube.com/watch?v=3REaYgqNIow
• youtube.com/watch?v=VyIk52JY7R4
• youtube.com/watch?v=STP_Fm9nfO4
• youtube.com/watch?v=N6zWcW8SMC0
• Alice in Wonderland (1951)
• Alice in Wonderland (2010)
• Alice in Wonderland Ride: youtube.com/watch?v=eMVMKAsHUrM
• Alien: Isolation: youtube.com/watch?v=73tb-rA7u8I
• American McGee Gamespot Interview: youtube.com/watch?v=LaW7DmxLLS4
• American McGee's Grim: youtube.com/watch?v=cF66Oe1HZM8
• American McGee Screen Savers Interview: youtube.com/watch?v=fyOl0ydiVGg
• Chris Vrenna: youtube.com/watch?v=YeSuObO-hK4
• Dead Space Remake: youtube.com/watch?v=k2Z3s8tWaW4
• Doom 2
• Heavy Metal F.A.K.K. 2 : youtube.com/watch?v=BYcCTg_-QLc
• John Carmack: youtube.com/watch?v=LXw6BkZ-gdY
• Kingdom Hearts 2: youtube.com/watch?v=H3AJFM6BnVw
• Mad Tea Party Tea Cup Ride: youtube.com/watch?v=1g8mumbeBzo
• The Matrix: youtube.com/watch?v=sjoad6gcRzs
• Metal Gear Solid 4: youtube.com/watch?v=dwDquO8TVf0
• Mirror's Edge: youtube.com/watch?v=IsgJn_TDStg
• Quake
• Resident Evil
• Strife: youtube.com/watch?v=oPrU7LSqiX0
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
• Wes Craven: youtube.com/watch?v=tDuEVLDsT1k

#americanmcgee #americanmcgeesalice #boulderpunch #aliceasylum #madnessreturns #DarkFantasyGames #madnessreturns