Editorials
Revisiting the Dark and Bizarre ‘American McGee’s Alice: Madness Returns’
Chances are, you probably haven’t played American McGee’s Alice. Set in a twisted, macabre rendition of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, it launched in late 2000 and would later become a cult classic. Praised for its creative premise and evocative visuals, the game ran using id Tech 3, the same engine that powered popular arena shooter Quake III. In fact, American McGee (yes, that’s his actual name) was one of the key members at id during its heyday in the mid-90s, working on both the Doom and Quake series. Although there are definite similarities, Alice was a massive departure for McGee and Dallas-based studio, Rogue Entertainment.
Alice would quickly fade into memory as the video game industry experienced one paradigm shift after the next. Although there had been rumors of a potential sequel, it wasn’t until 2009 that it was officially confirmed during an announcement by EA’s CEO John Riccitiello at that year’s D.I.C.E Summit. This was still a time when EA (and many other big publishers) would invest in smaller, singleplayer-focused experiences – a seemingly bygone era despite only being several years ago.
Alice: Madness Returns finally arrived in 2011 and garnered mostly positive reviews; that said, the game felt out of place and was ultimately overlooked by many. Picking up after the events of the original game, Alice Liddell has bested the Queen of Hearts and broken free from her catatonic state. Still scarred by the death of her family during a house fire (the trigger for her current mental state) she’s still a patient at the Rutledge Asylum and is about to suffer another relapse.
The Wonderland setting and its menagerie of creatures, characters, and bizarre vistas are a combination of superb art direction and very intentional metaphors that represent Alice’s loose grip on reality. Popular media is far more cautious nowadays in how it portrays mental illness though Madness Returns manages to sidestep many of the obvious pitfalls. However, having hysteria used a gameplay mechanic which has Alice doling out extra damage may now be seen as insensitive, as is some of the language used to describe Alice and other patients at the asylum.
Speaking of language, it can be a surprisingly crude game too and one that brandishes its mature rating in a weird yet compelling way. There’s the obvious splicing of Wonderland’s imaginative, Burton-esque imagery with the occasional bloody visuals. Then there are slightly more adult themes regarding the sexual exploitation of children – a subject that a minuscule number of game makers have ever touched upon in their work, though McGee’s own experiences are said to be a large influence. Even for a game that outwardly grabs your attention with its sinister looks, this sequel takes a surprisingly dark turn towards the end.
It’s easy to see why McGee wanted to return to Alice after all those years. id Tech 3 may have been cutting edge at the time though there were technical limitations, the enhanced power of the newer hardware allow him and his new team at Spicy Horse to realize their depiction of Wonderland in its full glory: an enchantingly twisted game world that looks completely alien yet with an eccentric flair that loops back into Carroll’s novels. There are entire areas made from floating teacups and dominoes that contrast the deliberately sludgy greys and browns of Alice’s real world.
Much like the original game, Madness Returns wasn’t immediately followed up with another sequel. Let’s face it, there’s probably zero chance of EA backing a third game to round out the trilogy. Still keen to expand on his brand of game-making, McGee took to Kickstarter in 2013 to fund an Oz-themed spin-off which failed though he found success with a crowdfunding campaign for Alice: Otherlands – a series of short films that continue the game’s story.
Since then, Spicy Horse has closed its doors but McGee continues to operate in his own quirky corner of the games industry. He’s currently looking to “crowd develop” a new project with his fan community titled “Alice: Asylum”. So, a sequel may be on the cards after all though it will be interesting to see how it takes shape with McGee’s new unorthodox approach.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
You must be logged in to post a comment.