It's been too long since I've had the pleasure of playing a game not only about the strange things that I find interesting, but also one that has only recently been released. Alas, the planets have aligned and now I find myself fully reviewing a game, almost like the big boys, except of course I got my copy after release and refused to unfairly speed though it for the sake of a timely review. All in all, I must say I have rather enjoyed the experience.
Before getting on with the review, I would like to mention that I've been using Lewis Carroll references throughout this blog since I began writing it. But now that there finally comes a time in which it would actually be fitting, I refuse to quote anything from The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland because that would be expected and I am a very petty person. Notice the title? That's the first non-Carrollinian thing I thought of with the name “Alice” in it, which is the first line of a Sisters of Mercy song, unsurprisingly entitled “Alice”. Proof that I too can make a sporadic decision about something without giving it much thought, and I actually frequently do... well I guess I couldn't survive for very long without that ability... Anyway, moot point, carrying on now!
I lied. I actually chose the line because Alice being “pressed against the wall” reflects the scrutinizing nature of the reviewing process. I thought about this for a very long time. :<
Considering how I have a few additional readers since my last review, I thought I would briefly reiterate the method in which I review video games (skip if you already read my Resident Evil review or if you just don't give a damn). Generally I begin with the theme of the game, it's ultimate raison d'etre and developer's intentions the same way one would begin evaluating any other type of art. I critique this by how the experiential elements of the game are presented. Such examples of a game's experience would be: story, music, atmosphere, art style, environment, characters, sound, pacing, etc. Then I evaluate whether the challenge factor supports or dissolves the experiential expression of the game. Game challenge may include things like: difficulty (always on “normal” for reviews), combat, boss fights, gameplay/mechanics, level design, mini-challenges (puzzles, minigames, vehicles, etc.), secondary content (hidden items, sidequests, unlockables, etc.), and so on... I think you get the picture.
Now, it's in the nature of this blog to be focused on creative and unique games, otherwise the theme and my review method would be futile. So, with that in consideration, realize that it's entirely likely that I will only be reviewing creative and unique games. This means that the games will be measured mostly within the narrow spectrum of other artistic games, rather than the much broader horizon of games in general. That way, I can favor games with creative merit without artificially praising them against the wide world of games that don't have any interest in taking artistic risks; think of it like choosing to remain within a particular genre, because the qualities you're interested in largely don't exist in other genres. This, I believe, will be the best method for keeping my reviews as objective and fair as possible within a frame that obviously favors subjectivity (also keep in mind, this is an extra precaution that I typically reserve for “new releases”). Well, here's to hoping this will actually be the last time I feel I need to preface an entry with the same old stuff, so without further ado...
My review of Alice: Madness Returns
