History VideoGame / AmericanMcGeesAlice

[[quoteright:318:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Alice_cover_art.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:318:Killing makes her ''more'' sane.]]

* FollowTheLeader: The entire plot is about an institutionalized Alice returning to a darker, trippier, overthrown Wonderland, which is very similar to Dorothy's adventures in the '80s film ''ReturnToOz''. Despite that fact, it managed to be popular with the public (unlike the movie). Also more awesome.
** Some noted similarities between the game and [[Film/AliceInWonderland a certain Tim Burton production.]] [[hottip:*:E.g. Alice returning to Wonderland to save it from the Queen of Hearts by defeating her champion the Jabberwock?]]

* NoSell: In the BossBattle against the Centipede, he's immune to every weapon Alice has at her disposal [[spoiler: except the Ice Wand, and ''even then'', his only vulnerable spot is part of his chest that you can only target at certain times during the fight.]]

One of the most disturbing video games ever released, ''American [=McGee=]'s Alice'' revolves around the titular character of the ''Literature/AliceInWonderland'' series. Released in late 2000 by ElectronicArts, and helmed by IdSoftware alumnus American [=McGee=], a former level designer for the ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' and ''{{Quake}}'' franchises, in his first role as project lead.

* ConvectionSchmonvection: Areas like the Land of Fire and Brimstone.

** However, the main core of her keep seems to avert this, as it appears to be mostly made of marble, except for the pool of blood and some bits of bone.

* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: At one point, Alice wakes up in an operating theater ... turned on its ''side''.

* InCaseYouForgotWhoWroteIt: Possibly justified, since American [=McGee=]'s Alice is very different from LewisCarroll's, but even so it has been said of the game that if you're going to put your own name in the title, it's better if people actually know who you are. The game had amazing graphics for its time, and it was heavily publicized that it was built on the then-cutting edge ''VideoGame/QuakeIIIArena'' engine. American [=McGee=] had been a designer for id Software and worked on the earlier ''Quake'' games, as well as its predecessor franchise ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}''. A good portion of the target audience - 3D action gamers - were well aware of who he was.

** The original has many unused lines (some were recycled into the sequel) and a few working npcs that don't show up in the game: the Fish Footmen and Frog Footmen, which draw wooden swords and summon Card Guards, and the bizarre Fungi; physically a small legless creature strapped to another buoyant animal, which follows the player but doesn't attack.

** The original has many unused lines (some were recycled into the sequel) and a few working npcs that don't show up in the game: the Fish Footmen and Frog Footmen, which draw wooden swords and summon Card Guards, and the bizzare Fungi; physically a small legless creature strapped to another buoyant animal, which follows the player but doesn't attack.

** Alice's response to the Jabberwock's HannibalLecture.

* HannibalLecture: The Jabberwock, The Mad Hatter, and the Queen Of Hearts especially.

* WhatTheHellHero: The basis of the Jabberwock's HannibalLecture.

* NoSell: In the BossBattle against the Centipede, he's immune to every weapon Alice has at her disposal [[spoiler: except the Ice Wand, and ''even then'', his only vulnerable spot is part of his chest that you can only target at certain times during the fight.

* Bizarrchitecture: A lot, but a notable example is the Skool, which is much larger on the inside than outside.

* ExiledFromContinuity: Alice's older sister, who was a character in the actual book, does not seem to have ever existed in this reality. She is never mentioned at all, and no-one resembling a sister appears in pictures of her family that appear from time to time.

* FrickinLaserBeams: The Bishop chess piece uses this. Also the Eye Staff emits a continuous beam of massive damage.

* MacroZone: The Wonderland Woods segments

* SceneryPorn[=/=]SceneryGorn: Madness Return's level designs look ''fantastic''.

* StrappedToAnOperatingTable: At one point, Alice wakes up in an operating theater... turned on its ''side''.
* SuperMode: In the first game, Alice can occasionally find an atomizer that sprays... Something in her face which painfully transforms her into a demon. This PowerUp causes Alice to do more damage to her enemies and causes her to take less damage from their attacks for the duration.
** There are also other items, like a rarely found cricket filled with tea (Just go with it) that turns Alice into some kind of fairy with super agility, and even rarer hand mirror that makes Alice into... something you don't get a proper look at because it turns her invisible.

* TractorBeam: The Queen Of Hearts has such an ability, if not the actual weapon.

** However, the main core of her keep seems to avert this, as it appears to be made of stone (except for the pool of blood).
* YourHeadASplode: [[spoiler:The Duchess]], [[spoiler:The Mad Hatter]] and [[spoiler:The Cheshire Cat]] die this way. They got better [[spoiler:in the sequel]] though.
** Also Alice in one of her death scenes. In fact, there's a cheat code you can implement that will show you the death scene, but then allows you to continue playing the game. ''Headless.''

* CommonKnowledge: The game seems to assume that the Red Queen and the Queen of Hearts are the same person, a popular misconception.

** Less so is probably the Blunderbuss. If you can skillfully herd an entire room's garrison of mooks into a group and stay well out of the blast radius, you'll be rewarded with a lot of meta-essence to restore Alice to mint condition should you survive the shot.

* SuperMode: In the first game, Alice can occasionally find an atomizer that sprays... Something in her face which painfully transforms her into a demon.

* BigCreepyCrawlies

* CreepyCrawly: In one level, most of Alice's enemies and the boss are giant insects. (Well, ''technically'', they aren't giant; Alice has been shrunk to insect-size.)