Replaying it after five years or so, I find that Alice: Madness Returns isn't quite as good as I remember it. It's buggy, the controls are a nightmare, most Wonderland levels drag on forever while the London sections are too short and uneventful, the story doesn't really kick off until the 3rd level or so, and even then it can be summed up in one sentence if you leave out all the filler material.
I still enjoy it, though, and I absolutely have to praise the creativity that went into it! Conventional swords and guns are cool and all, but what other game lets you attack enemies with a pepper mill and a teapot? The dresses are very nice too, each with its own little (and sometimes not so little) benefit, the music and sound design are top-notch, and despite the gameplay getting repetitive after a while, it still has some unique moments like the one in the fourth level when Alice grows big and you get to stomp around in the queen's castle.
I think what prevented this game from becoming a true masterpiece is the same problem that befalls many games these days: the developers not being given enough time and/or resources to perfect it. I know for a fact that the London sections were supposed to have proper gameplay and a stronger story component originally, involving Alice fleeing from the police because of a murder that she may or may not have committed herself, but that was cut along with many other planned features. I can only imagine how awesome the game could have been with those implemented.
But yeah, all that aside, Alice: Madness Returns will forever have a special place in my heart for its creativity alone. (And for being based on one of my favourite fairy tales, of course.)
